The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has dismissed claims that landing facilities at airports across the country are poorly maintained or unfit for operations during the harmattan season.
In a statement on Monday, NAMA said all navigational aids at federal government airports are routinely maintained, flight-checked and calibrated in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices, as well as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig CARs).
Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Dr Abdullahi Musa, said harmattan weather conditions present operational challenges but do not indicate infrastructural failure or compromised safety standards.
“Contrary to insinuations that Nigeria’s landing facilities are poorly maintained or unfit for harmattan operations, NAMA states unequivocally that all navigational aids at federal government airports are routinely maintained, flight-checked and calibrated in strict compliance with ICAO SARPs and Nig CARs,” the statement said.
According to the agency, calibration and inspection processes are mandatory safety requirements carried out using NAMA’s dedicated flight inspection aircraft, operated by trained technical and flight inspection personnel.
Equipment including Instrument Landing Systems (ILS), VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR), Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) and other communication, navigation and surveillance infrastructure undergo regular ground and airborne checks to ensure accuracy, signal integrity and operational reliability.
NAMA added that all activities are conducted under continuous oversight by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which audits compliance, validates calibration cycles and enforces corrective actions where required.
The agency noted that the status of navigational aids nationwide is publicly available through Aeronautical Information Publications (AIP) Supplements, accessible to airlines, pilots and other stakeholders.
It cited AIP Supplement S81/2025, dated October 9, 2025, which documented the calibration and serviceability status of all NAVAIDs. At the time, only ILS facilities at Maiduguri, Ilorin, Owerri, Zaria, Minna and Calabar were approaching their due calibration dates, while others remained within valid inspection periods.
NAMA said a nationwide flight calibration exercise was conducted in December 2025 to restore serviceability timelines at several airports, with another round scheduled early in the new year for Katsina, Jos, Ilorin, Yola and Owerri.
Addressing public concerns about Instrument Landing System categories, the agency said it was incorrect to assume that CAT III ILS must be installed at all airports to ensure safety during harmattan.
“The deployment of ILS CAT I, CAT II or CAT III is determined by operational need, traffic volume, aircraft capability and long-term meteorological data—not by perception or prestige,” the statement said.
It explained that many international airports operate safely with CAT I or CAT II systems and that historical weather data in Nigeria show minimum runway visibility during harmattan averages about 150 metres.
Based on this data, NAMA said it has designed and published instrument approach procedures aligned with CAT II minima, which are sufficient to support safe operations during the most challenging seasonal conditions experienced in the country.
The agency stressed that aviation safety depends on the suitability and reliability of systems, not the deployment of the highest available technology where it is operationally unjustified.
NAMA added that harmattan-related delays, diversions or cancellations are largely due to weather conditions, airline operational decisions and aircraft capability, rather than failures of navigational infrastructure.
It said it works closely with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) to ensure timely dissemination of accurate weather information and provide real-time air traffic management support during the harmattan season.
“The Nigerian airspace is safe, professionally managed and aligned with global best practices,” the statement said, urging public commentary on aviation matters to be informed, responsible and technically grounded.
