Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha
The Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATCA) has said it is considering a nationwide flow control following serious concerns raised about the decadence state of Communication, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) infrastructure in Nigeria.
Flow control is a technique used to balance traffic demand with system capacity by regulating the rate of aircraft entering congested airspace or airports.
According to the association, the poor state of air navigation facility has led to deteriorating working conditions, poor, lack of career progression among others.
It stated that the situation has reached a point where the safety of personnel, the stability of operations, and the protection of the nation’s airspace can no longer be taken for granted, explaining that its concerns are not driven by convenience or emotion, but by the reality of a safety-critical profession being stretched beyond acceptable limits.
The Association said controllers are currently operating under sustained operational deficiencies, inadequate working tools, unresolved welfare issues, and severe psychological strain, all of which create avoidable risks in a sector where precision and alertness are essential every second of the day.
A major concern is the state of obsolete CNS infrastructure. According to the Association, critical communication, navigation, and surveillance facilities remain outdated and fail to meet acceptable reliability standards, forcing controllers to work around system weaknesses that should not exist in a modern aviation environment.
NATCA warns that no airspace can be truly safe when the people responsible for managing it are compelled to operate beyond the safe limits of their available systems.
Equally troubling is the lack of structured training, retraining, and manpower development for Air Traffic Controllers.
“Aviation is a highly dynamic industry that requires continuous professional development to keep pace with evolving technologies, procedures, and global best practices. However, insufficient investment in recurrent training programmes and the absence of long-term manpower development planning have slowed professional growth and weakened operational resilience.
“Without sustained capacity-building initiatives, the system risks producing fewer adequately prepared controllers to meet the increasing demands of Nigeria’s expanding airspace.”, it said in a statement signed by Edino Ilemona, President, NATCA and Amos Umar Fahad
General Secretary.
NATCA further drew attention to unsafe and substandard working conditions, particularly at some control tower facilities that fall short of basic ergonomic and safety requirements.
The Association cited the recent fire incident at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, where controllers reportedly had to escape through dangerous means before being rescued by crane, yet still resumed operations under traumatic conditions immediately afterward.
NATCA said this incident exposes the hidden risks controllers face while serving the public under intense pressure.
Another major issue is prolonged career stagnation where NATCA stated that many experienced Air Traffic Controllers have remained on Grade Level 16 for periods ranging from 6 to 13 years, a situation the association described as deeply demoralising in a profession that demands discipline, excellence, and long-term commitment.
The continued delay in career progression, NATCA said, sends the wrong message to hardworking professionals who shoulder huge responsibilities without corresponding advancement.
The Association also condemned the failure to review the air traffic controllers’ professional and aeromedical allowances. It stated that Air Traffic Controllers’ professional allowances have not been reviewed since 2012, despite worsening economic conditions, and that the allowances intended to support mandatory ICAO aeromedical examinations remain grossly inadequate.
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The association insists that these allowances are not privileges but essential support for maintaining valid certification, operational readiness, and the health of controllers who must remain medically fit for duty.
“Again, members are not encouraged based on the appropriation allotted to their ratings, which is not in line with the actual interpretation of the ATC professional allowances table. Despite noticing the error, correcting it seems to be dragging (Post-Licence ratings), resulting in financial hardship and uncertainty.
“These discrepancies have persisted despite repeated efforts to seek clarification and correction. Controllers note that accurate remuneration is fundamental to maintaining trust, motivation, and focus in a profession where distraction and stress can have serious safety implications.
“Furthermore, claims submitted by Air Traffic Controllers for legitimate operational and duty-related expenses have remained unpaid for many months. The prolonged delay in settling these claims has imposed financial strain on affected officers, particularly in the face of prevailing economic difficulties and rising cost of living. This situation has contributed significantly to declining morale, as controllers are forced to personally absorb work-related expenses while continuing to perform demanding safety-critical duties.”, it stated.
NATCA further advocates that Air Traffic Controllers, upon retirement, be reabsorbed into the system at one grade level below their current grade level, subject to medical fitness and operational requirements.
This approach, the association said would enable the aviation system to continue benefiting from the invaluable experience, institutional knowledge, and mentoring capacity of senior professionals, while also helping to address manpower gaps and reduce the pressure placed on younger controllers.
“Given the long training cycle required to develop competent ATCs, retaining experienced personnel in structured transitional roles represents a practical and safety-conscious workforce strategy.”
In addition to these documented concerns, NATCA said morale has fallen sharply across the profession, especially because highly experienced senior Air Traffic Controllers are increasingly working under their junior officers in other departments as Airspace Managers, a situation the Association noted has deepened frustration, damaged dignity, and weakened confidence within the system.
The Association also stressed that these issues are not only about staff welfare; they are about the safety of passengers, airlines, airport users, and the entire aviation ecosystem. NATCA warned that persistent neglect of controllers’ welfare, health, staffing, and infrastructure will continue to place unnecessary pressure on the very people who safeguard the nation’s skies every day.
Source: Businessday.ng | Read the Full Story…
