The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency(NAMA) has gave reasons for seeking an upward review of the N11,000 fee currently charged airlines per flight, saying it outdated and unsustainable.
The Director-general of NAMA, Farouk Umar, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during a retreat themed “Emerging Trends in Global Aviation: Sustainability, Technology and Digital Transformation”, organised for members of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation.
According to Umar, the fee, introduced in 2008, had not kept pace with prevailing economic realities, even as the cost of air travel had increased significantly.
“In 2008, NAMA was collecting N11,000 per flight. For instance, from Lagos to Abuja, we charge N11,000 for the entire flight, not per passenger,” Umar said.
“At that time, an economy ticket cost about N16,000. Today, the same ticket is between N150,000 and N200,000, yet we are still collecting N11,000.
“We cannot continue this way; we keep modernising to meet global standards, but we are still being paid peanuts. The airlines know this but prefer to ignore the reality.”
The NAMA boss said that the agency operates as a cost-recovery institution and had made major investments in surveillance, landing, and communication systems to enhance aviation safety.
Umar also disclosed that efforts to engage airline operators on revising the charge had so far proved unsuccessful.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, Abdullahi Garba, said the retreat was intended to strengthen collaboration in advancing the country’s aviation sector.
Garba, who was represented by his deputy, Festus Akingbaso, added that the exercise would enhance lawmakers’ understanding of airspace management and improve legislative oversight.
