The Federal Government has awarded a N21.68 billion contract for the construction of the new corporate headquarters and National Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) in Abuja

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, , disclosed this on Thursday at the groundbreaking ceremony for the project.

He said the contract for the initial phase of the project was awarded to Messrs NHD Interbiz Projects Limited at a total cost of N21,684,314,839.40, inclusive of all taxes, with a completion period of 30 months.

According to the minister, the project is aimed at consolidating NAMA’s administrative and operational functions into a modern, purpose-built facility to enhance efficiency, safety oversight and real-time operational responsiveness in the management of Nigeria’s sovereign airspace.

He noted that the new headquarters would integrate executive management offices with a state-of-the-art Air Traffic Management Centre, providing a secure and technology-driven environment for air navigation services.

“For too long, our agencies have operated in silos and in structures that do not reflect their strategic importance. This project is a declaration of intent and a tangible demonstration of our commitment to modernising the critical infrastructure that underpins the safety, efficiency and growth of Nigerian aviation,” he said.

Keyamo stated that the project was executed in strict adherence to the Public Procurement Act 2007, following a transparent and competitive tendering process.

He added that the contractor would be held to the highest standards of quality and timelines as stipulated in the agreement.

He said the development would create jobs, stimulate economic activities, enhance national asset security and strengthen investor confidence in the aviation sector.

He urged the contractor to deploy the highest level of professional and technical competence in delivering a project that would stand the test of time, assuring that government would closely monitor every stage of the construction.

The Managing Director of NAMA Engr farouq Umar in his remarks  noted that since its establishment in 1999, NAMA’s administrative headquarters operated from Lagos for over two decades, however, in line with Federal government policy and the directive to relocate the agency to the seat of power-the Federal Capital Territory-a process that formally commenced in 2020, the need for a permanent, befitting corporate headquarters in Abuja became imperative.

For the past six years, he said staff of the agency has being operating from temporary facilities in Abuja, yet they have continued to deliver on NAMA’s mandate of providing safe, efficient, and reliable air navigation services.

The MD however stated that the new facility will be a state-of-the-art Air Traffic Management Center that will consolidate our air traffic control operations, by collapsing the two existing Area Control Centres (ACCs) in Lagos and Kano into this single, centralized hub in Abuja, we are creating a more cohesive and efficient “One FIR” (Flight Information Region) for Nigeria.