Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), the umbrella body of air traffic controllers in the country, has raised the alarm over the deteriorating state of Nigeria’s air traffic management system.

NATCA’s warning came as the Social Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) asked President Bola Tinubu to direct the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, and the management of both the Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd (NIGCOMSAT) and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) to account for the whereabouts of alleged missing or diverted N2.9 billion of public funds from NIGCOMSAT and NNRA.

NATCA, in its warning, cited the obsolete Communication, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) infrastructure at airports and stations across the country, describing them as threats to aviation safety.

NATCA also cited poor welfare and worsening working conditions for air traffic controllers as a major concern for the industry.

The threats were raised in a statement jointly signed by Amos Edino and Fahad Umar, the President and General Secretary of NATCA, respectively, yesterday.

The statement declared that the cumulative effect of the challenges had stretched air traffic controllers beyond safe operational limits, raising concerns about the reliability of the nation’s airspace management.

They maintained that their position was driven by safety imperatives, rather than sentiment, noting that controllers currently operate under intense pressure caused by inadequate tools, manpower shortages and unresolved welfare issues.

NATCA mentioned a significant gap in training and manpower development, warning that insufficient investment in recurrent training and long-term workforce planning by the management of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) could weaken operational resilience and reduce the pipeline of competent controllers needed for Nigeria’s growing airspace.

The association called for urgent intervention, warning that continued neglect of infrastructure, welfare and staffing issues could have serious implications for passenger safety and the broader aviation ecosystem.

SERAP, in its call for probe, urged Tinubu to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and the anti-corruption agencies to investigate the alleged missing or diverted alleged missing or diverted N2.9 billion of public funds from NIGCOMSAT and NNRA, and any other diverted public funds from the two agencies documented in previous yearly reports by the auditor-general.

SERAP also urged him to direct NIGCOMSAT to disclose the shareholders and beneficial owners of the company, which collected N465 million in ‘unauthorised investment’ from the agency.

The allegations are documented in the latest yearly report published by the Auditor-General on September 9, 2025.

In the letter at the weekend, signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said the allegations, involving critical public institutions, represent a grave violation of the public trust and a fundamental breach of Nigeria’s anti-corruption laws and international obligations.

According to the group, ensuring accountability is therefore essential to protecting both Nigeria’s present and its future.