Our plans for equipment upgrade, by NAMA

Managing Director, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Captain Fola Akinkuotu has unveiled plans by the agency to upgrade air navigation equipment at airports across the country.

According to Akinkuotu, the agency took the steps as part of its strategic plan to replace obsolete air navigation equipment at airports and other locations.

Speaking in an interview last week in Lagos, he said the agency had addressed complaints in the performance of communication navigation and surveillance as well as air traffic management facilities.

Akinkuotu said the agency in the last one year addressed radio communication challenges between pilots and air traffic controllers.

Specifically, he said very high frequency radios have been installed in 17 airports for approach and aerodrome control.

He said the agency also installed High power stand alone VHF radios in Lagos and Abuja area control centres.

Akinkuotu said:”The Lagos end has been commissioned and is in operation, while installation in Kano has just been completed and will soon be put to use.

“Also, a contract called extended range VHF radio system has been signed to modernise the main radio communication network to increase the number of remote sites from the current eight to 14.”

He said the agency was carrying out progressive installation of navigational equipment in more than 12 airport locations .

Akinkuotu said:”These include distant measuring equipment and instrument landing system and category instrument landing system system for Lagos and Abuja Airports. They will soon be installed.

“NAMA in collaboration with the Edo State Government is presently installing an instrument landing system in Benin Airport.”

He also spoke of plans for the installation of Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) surveillance system for the Gulf of Guinea ( Niger Delta Area ) for surveillance and control of low level flights, which will commence in a few weeks.

“We cannot boast of having resolved all issues regarding shortcomings in the performance of communication navigation surveillance systems, but we have the ambition to continuously improve, modernise and replace these facilities as a matter of priority in order to make the airspace flexible, effective, efficient, economical and friendly as well as a desired destination for all airspace users.”

Meanwhile, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has declared that the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON), project is working optimally.

NAMA also said that spare parts for the facility are regularly sourced from the manufacturer, Thales of France whenever required.