Aviation

Improving Nigeria’s Airspace Safety

Published

15 years ago

September 2, 2011

The issue of airspace security is an endless problem to Nigeria. Until the weather related facilities and others at the airports are upgraded, the problem will remain unsolved.

Investigations have revealed that the air crashes that occurred between 2003 and 2006 were traceable to bad weather and that is why most flights are delayed or canceled at the airports.

Government at several times has expressed worry and concern about the negative impact of weather on aircraft movement and efforts are being stepped up to ensure the establishment and resuscitation of four additional upper air stations at Enugu, Kano, Lagos and Maiduguri.

With the increase in the number of upper air stations from one in Abuja to five, there are plans to establish additional three before the end of this year to ensure safety in the nation’s airspace.

The Director-General of Nigeria Meteological Agency (NIMET), Dr. Anthony Anuforom said that in the past few years, the agency has re-equipped over 40 weather observatories nationwide with conventional instruments.

According to him, there are plans to construct nine new synoptic station buildings in Abakaliki, Azara, Benin, Damaturu, Dutse, Owerri, Masaka and Sokoto as well as Marine weather observation stations in Aiyetoro, Mahim, Bonny and Calabar.

NIMET is not relenting efforts at ensuring the procurement and installation of five satellite distribution systems in Abuja, Ikeja, Kano, Owerri, Port Harcourt and Sokoto while the one for Maiduguri will be installed soon. Already, the agency has procured and installed seven lighting and thunderstorm detectors in Kaduna, Ibadan, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano and Yola, in addition to the procurement and installation of 6 integrated aviation weather observatory and display systems in Enugu, Ilorin, Owerri, Katsina, Calabar and Maiduguri airports.

This year, NIMET inaugurated the National Weather Forecasting and Climate Research Centre, a world-class infrastructure at the Abuja Airport and prior to that, the agency in 2008 implemented a number of projects designed to improve the quality of its services.

These projects include the development and deployment of a new and indigenous weather information transmission system called e-Met, establishment and resuscitation of four additional upper air stations at Enugu, Kano, Maiduguri and Oshodi, Lagos.

So far, the number of functional air stations has increased from one in Abuja from 2008 to five.

and before the end of this year, three new ones will be established in Calabar, Jos and Yola.

Some of the projects accomplished to improve air safety are the extensive rehabilitation of NIMET complex in Oshodi, additional classroom and hostel facilities at the |Regional Training Centre, Oshodi, construction and equipping of a new instrument calibration workshop at Abuja. The agency has also successfully installed a Low Level Wind Shear Alert System |(LLWAS) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos while the Site Acceptance Test (SAT) for this system was completed on July 12 and the system is now operational.

This is the first in the history of aviation in Nigeria that the MMIA is equipped with this critical safety equipment.

The aviation industry in Nigeria witnessed its darkest period between 2003 and 2006 when several aircraft accidents occurred resulting in loss of lives and reports on these unfortunate incidents proved that wind shear was a contributory factory in some of them.

Although aviation has been proven to be the safest and fastest means of transportation, the spate of air crashes at that time created unnecessary panic and anxiety and had negative impact or effect on the confidence of Nigerians in air travel, it has, therefore, become necessary for the Federal Government, especially the Ministry of Aviation and its parastatals or agencies to take more serious measures towards ensuring the safety and security of our airspace.

Aviation

March 28 Rollout: FAAN Directs Airlines Integration Into National Single Window

Published

3 weeks ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has directed all cargo airline operators to integrate their operations with the National Single Window (NSW) platform ahead of its official rollout in March 2026, in a move aimed at enhancing transparency, efficiency, and revenue collection in Nigeria’s trade ecosystem.

In a statement released last Tuesday to The Tide Correspondent at Omagwa Airport in Portharcourt, FAAN disclosed that its Directorate of Cargo Development and Services, in collaboration with the NSW implementation team, recently engaged key stakeholders across the aviation and cargo value chain to prepare them for the transition to the digital platform.

The statement said that during the engagement, cargo airline operators were directed by the Minister of Finance to begin submitting their air cargo manifests through the National Single Window platform as part of preparations for the official launch scheduled for March 27, 2026.

To ensure a seamless transition, FAAN said structured training sessions would be conducted for operators and other stakeholders ahead of the rollout to guarantee smooth adoption and effective utilisation of the system.

The National Single Window project, inaugurated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in April 2024, is designed to centralise and digitise the processing of trade documentation, including manifests, permits, licences and customs declarations, through a single electronic gateway.

With the platform entering its first operational phase on March 27, 2026, stakeholders expect significant improvements in the way trade-related processes are handled, particularly for freight forwarders, licensed customs agents and cargo operators.

According to project principals, the successful launch of the system is expected to boost the efficient collection of customs duties and other trade-related taxes by allowing traders to submit all required documentation electronically via one platform, eliminating the need to interface separately with multiple government agencies.

Other anticipated benefits include reduced administrative costs, improved transparency, enhanced security of trade procedures and increased foreign investment driven by a more predictable and efficient trade environment.

FAAN, MTN Nigeria Launch Free Wifi Service At Lagos, Abuja Airports

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has partnered with MTN Nigeria to provide free WiFi services at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Terminal 2 in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

The service was officially launched on Thursday at the Lagos terminal.

FAAN’s Managing Director and Chief Executive, Olubunmi Kuku, who was represented at the event by the Director of Airport Operations, Abdullahi Mahmood, said the initiative is part of efforts to improve passenger experience and expand digital infrastructure at Nigerian airports.

According to FAAN, the service will be extended to the MMIA temporary terminal and other international airports across the country within the next three months.

Officials said the project is structured as a public-private partnership between FAAN and MTN Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Lynda Saint-Nwafor, who represented the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, said the company would ensure the service remains reliable and secure.

While FAAN described the rollout as a step toward modernising airport facilities, details of the funding model and long-term maintenance structure were not disclosed at the launch.

Airport users have long complained about limited or unreliable internet connectivity at major Nigerian terminals, particularly during peak travel periods.

However, FAAN did not immediately indicate whether the free service would be time-limited per user or subject to bandwidth restrictions.

By: Enoch Epelle

Aviation

Payment Of Cash: FAAN set February 28 Dateline in Nigeria Airport

Published

3 weeks ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

The Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, has firmly reiterated the Authority’s resolve to fully implement a cashless payment system across all airport payment points nationwide, effective February 28, 2026.

The reaffirmation came during a visit by executives and members of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), who sought clarification on the decision to discontinue cash transactions at airports in Lagos last Thursday.

The engagement provided an opportunity for robust dialogue, reflecting FAAN’s open-door policy and commitment to inclusive stakeholder consultation.

According to a statement by Henry Agbebire, Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN, the MD/CE emphasised that the transition to a cashless system is not only in line with global best practices in aviation management but also consistent with Federal Government directives aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability, and operational efficiency.

She referenced a Treasury Circular dated November 24, 2025, issued by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and signed by the Accountant General, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, mandating the cessation of cash transactions in all government dealings.

The directive followed approval by the Federal Executive Council for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to discontinue physical cash collections and payments as part of broader public finance reforms.

According to the MD/CE, “There is no going back on this decision.” She stressed that the cashless initiative aligns FAAN with national financial management reforms while positioning Nigeria’s airports for greater operational integrity, improved service delivery, and stronger revenue assurance.

Importantly, Mrs. Kuku noted that the reform also forms part of FAAN’s broader strategic agenda to deepen stakeholder engagement by fostering transparency, building trust, and ensuring that partners, unions, concessionaires, and service providers are carried along in key operational decisions.

By proactively engaging NUATE and other critical stakeholders, FAAN continues to demonstrate that institutional reforms and stakeholder collaboration must go hand in hand.Beyond compliance with government policy, the MD/CE highlighted the enormous benefits of a cashless system to the aviation ecosystem, including reduction in leakages, improved transaction traceability, faster service delivery, and enhanced public confidence in airport operations.

Addressing concerns raised about the use of Paystack as a third-party platform, she clarified that Paystack merely serves as a payment gateway for processing transactions.

She assured stakeholders that no revenue is paid into any Paystack account, as all payments are made directly from Point of Sale (POS) terminals into designated Federal Government accounts.

The NUATE delegation was comprehensively briefed on the processes and strategies put in place to ensure a seamless transition by the February 28, 2026 deadline.

At the end of the engagement, the Union members expressed satisfaction with the explanations provided and acknowledged that the implementation framework is both tenable and practical.

The move marks another significant milestone in FAAN’s ongoing reform agenda, reinforcing its commitment to modernising airport operations, strengthening institutional accountability, and promoting constructive engagement with stakeholders across the aviation value chain.

By: Enoch Epelle

Aviation

Aviation Professionals Want Agencies Boards’ Inauguration

Published

8 months ago

July 28, 2025

The Tide

As a measure to curb corruption and restore accountability, the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), has called on the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to push for the urgent formation and inauguration of governing boards for all other aviation agencies.
ANAP’s Secretary General, AbdulRasaq Saidu, made this call at the weekend when interacting with aviation correspondents, in reaction to recent inauguration of Board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Keyamo had recently inaugurated the FAAN board, more than six months after its members were appointed by President Bola Tinubu, where Dr. Umar Ganduje was named Board Chairman, with FAAN’s Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, as the Vice Chairman.
Other board members include representatives from the Ministries of Justice, Defence, Tourism, and Aviation, as well as professionals from the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, and FAAN’s legal department.
The ANAP scribe there urged the aviation Minister not to stop at FAAN but to ensure that all aviation parastatals are given functional boards to restore order and credibility to the sector.
He, however, commended Keyamo for recently inaugurating the board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria but stressed that more needed to be done.
Saidu also warned that the continued delay in constituting boards for other aviation agencies creates room for unchecked abuses, including illegal contracts, fraudulent employment practices, and mismanagement.
“The absence of governing boards violates the enabling Acts that established these agencies. Only properly constituted boards can enforce discipline, ensure due process in decision-making, and provide oversight to prevent corruption”, Saidu said.
He emphasised that the aviation unions, including ANAP, have consistently raised concerns about poor governance and lack of transparency within the aviation system.
He called on President Bola Tinubu to act swiftly by appointing board members for all relevant agencies, in the interest of fairness and aviation safety.
Saidu also tackled the former Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, for failing to inaugurate any boards during his eight-year tenure, despite appointments being made by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“ANAP raised the alarm several times under Sirika’s leadership, but nothing changed. That lapse has continued under the current administration, and it must be addressed now”, Saidu stated.

By: Corlins Walter