President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has authorized a delegation from the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to travel to Spain for an onsite inspection of facilities, engagement with technology providers to address security challenges, and the upgrade of surveillance systems.
Additionally, NAMA has begun enhancing its surveillance infrastructure at airports and various remote installations nationwide.
These developments follow a recent communication from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to aircraft owners and operators, revealing the presence of an unidentified aircraft hovering over the presidential villa.
Ahmed Umar Farouk, Managing Director of NAMA, disclosed this during a visit by a delegation from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja, emphasizing the Air Force’s crucial role in ensuring the safety and security of Nigeria’s airspace.
He reflected on the longstanding collaboration between the two agencies as essential for maintaining the safety and security of Nigeria’s airspace. “NAMA handles civil operations, while the Air Force oversees security. Our close collaboration is crucial for ensuring a safe and secure airspace,” remarked the NAMA boss.
In his remarks, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Abdulkadir, leading the NAF delegation, highlighted the Nigerian Air Force’s recent advancements in securing the nation’s airspace, deploying new platforms for national air defence stationed at the Air Defense Group in Makurdi.
He emphasized the NAF’s completion of daytime training and nearing completion of nighttime training, enhancing their ability to swiftly respond and intercept intruders in Nigerian airspace. He also updated on the NAF’s improved capabilities to monitor and identify all aircraft entering and leaving Nigerian airspace, underscoring the importance of enhanced collaboration and partnership between NAMA and the NAF in sustaining current airspace security and safety.
Abdulkadir likened NAMA and NAF to “twin siblings of the same parent,” illustrating how NAF’s responsibility for airspace security complements NAMA’s role in airspace management. He further discussed joint training initiatives to address the shortage of Air Traffic Controllers nationwide, citing the accreditation of the Nigerian Air Force training center in Kaduna by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). This accreditation will facilitate annual training for at least 20 NAMA staff members.