Joint Action Committee (JAC) of unions at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has advocated the commercialisation or privatisation of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), saying the move is necessary to modernise Nigeria’s air navigation infrastructure, strengthen operational efficiency, and enhance aviation safety.

The joint statement was signed by the branch secretaries of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), and Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP).

The statement was jointly signed by the branch secretaries.

They maintained that commercialising or privatising NAMA would enable the agency to access private equity, international bonds, capital markets and other private financing options required to invest in next-generation air navigation systems, including satellite-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology and modern backup infrastructure.

According to the committee, reliance on annual government budget allocations, shifting political priorities and bureaucratic processes has delayed critical safety upgrades and infrastructure development.

The workers said a commercially driven NAMA would become more financially sustainable by generating funds through the capital market while making faster operational decisions based on safety and efficiency rather than budget cycles.

MEANWHILE, the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has distanced itself from a statement opposing the proposed reduction in the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority’s (NCAA) share of the 5 per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC).

NAAPE, in a statement yesterday by its President, Bunmi Gindeh, said the position did not receive the approval of its National Executive Council (NEC).

Gindeh said the statement, which was attributed to NAAPE, was issued by the NCAA Branch of the union and should not be regarded as the official position of the national leadership.

Gindeh explained that the clarification followed reports quoting NAAPE as opposing plans to alter the current revenue-sharing formula of the aviation agencies, particularly the proposed reduction of the NCAA’s allocation from 56 per cent to 40 per cent of the TSC.

The NCAA Branch had argued that reducing the regulator’s statutory funding could affect its ability to effectively carry out safety oversight functions and weaken its financial independence.

The branch also called on lawmakers to reject the proposal and consider increasing the regulator’s allocation.