Activities of last year, 2022, generally in the aviation industry was very eventful, but talking specifically about the operations of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA),one would only but agree that, the agency is soaring like the eagle on its primary role of promoting safe and secure airspace.
Interestingly, the Nigeria airspace in the past couple of years has remained calm as air passengers have continued to fly in peace. This is expected to continue in the New Year especially now the man at the helm of affairs, Mr. Mathew Lawrence Pwajok, is working round the clock and tirelessly to reposition the agency, for safety and optimum yield.
Having worked and retired as the Director of operations before his new position as the acting Managing Director/CEO, of the Nigerian Airspace management Agency (NAMA), it is believed that, the right choice was made by the Minister of aviation, Cpt. Hadi Sirika seeing the massive reforms going on already in the area of infrastructure and human capital development in the agency.
As the man who has complete overview of how operations and the technicalities of the agency look like nationwide, far machine decisions were taken according to NAMA to enhance operations and again to boost the revenue generation of the agency. For example, the multilateration project which is targeted to capturing low level flights in the Niger Delta region, and generate huge revenue for the agency that suffered some kind of set back since 2018, fortunately has been revived, and today it has come alive for the purpose it was conceived abinitio.
Again, on the area of total radar coverage of Nigeria (TRACON), NAMA has remained upbeat and sensitive in covering the whole country. As it stands, the agency has the capacity to pick any aircraft within 130 kilometre radius. Also confirmed equally is that work is presently going on to deploying ground security surveillance system, capable of detecting large movement of people, including vehicles and motor bikes, near critical assets around the country. Due to the insecurity challenge, NAMA says plans equally have reached advance stage to acquiring drone detection and jamming surveillance systems.
This, the agency said, would enhance the penetration of drones into immediate vicinity of Nigeria Airports going forward, It is also on record that the Automatic Dependent Surveillance contract (ADS-C), which is satellite based and covered the entire Nigeria airspace, is the best that could happen in modern airspace management monitoring.
The primary and secondary radar the agency says backs each other, ruling out completely the possibility of the whole nine radars falling at the same time, just as it is also difficult to have power failure since each of the radars is powered by a separate power system from generators and linked to the national grid.
Talking about good development also in the agency, NAMA has intensified efforts on electronic flight progress strip management system which was in place prior before now in Lagos, Abuja and Port – Harcourt, while work is ongoing on other airports, on its bid for complete phase out of paper strips to further enhance speedy delivery of services and professionalism which is the order of the day in air traffic management system.
On the other hand, the Aeronautical Information Service (AIS), automation project which took off in the 2008 is currently receiving dose of attention and according to reliable information, all the grey arrears that stalled the speedy completion of the project, 15 years after it was started have been adequately addressed.
The interesting thing is that, these developments are happening in quick succession and at a time the acting came on board. The agency has continued to witness what can be described as renewed hope, with massive overhaul of infrastructure, state of the art air navigation equipments as well as first class ground support facilities and other sundry areas of interest that have made operations seamless.
Prior before now, the conditions of Nigeria’s navaids resulted to industrial disharmony between the Air Traffic Controllers (ATC), and former NAMA management. The pilots too, who are also critical stake-holders were not left out in the imbroglio, but today, there is a new song in the agency given the massive works almost everywhere, especially on the country’s runways in the recent times.
Quoting from the NAMA airspace news “works have been done on the domestic runaway of Lagos 18L. In Benin also, instruments landing systems have also been installed on doth runways, including Enugu, Maidu Guri, Abuja, Sokota, Yola, Jos, Minna and also Akure”.
This also means that works are still ongoing following the deployment of modern navigational systems, purely targeted to improve enroute navigation throughout the country. Under Pwajok also, the agency announced its readiness to train airspace managers in all the airports in Nigeria, on Global Air Navigation plan. The idea however is that, the training would not only expose the beneficiaries but would also enrich their knowledge and bring them at par with their colleagues in aviation, around the world.
The speedy recovery of the aviation industry after it was dealt devastating PWAJOK: TAKING NAMA TO GREATER HEIGHT
Activities of last year, 2022, generally in the aviation industry was very eventful, but talking specifically about the operations of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA),one would only but agree that, the agency is soaring like the eagle on its primary role of promoting safe and secure airspace.
Interestingly, the Nigeria airspace in the past couple of years has remained calm as air passengers have continued to fly in peace. This is expected to continue in the New Year especially now the man at the helm of affairs, Mr. Mathew Lawrence Pwajok, is working round the clock and tirelessly to reposition the agency, for safety and optimum yield.
Having worked and retired as the Director of operations before his new position as the acting Managing Director/CEO, of the Nigerian Airspace management Agency (NAMA), it is believed that, the right choice was made by the Minister of aviation, Cpt. Hadi Sirika seeing the massive reforms going on already in the area of infrastructure and human capital development in the agency.
As the man who has complete overview of how operations and the technicalities of the agency look like nationwide, far reaching decisions were taken according to NAMA to enhance operations and again to boost the revenue generation of the agency. For example, the multilateration project which is targeted to capturing low level flights in the Niger Delta region, and generate huge revenue for the agency that suffered some kind of set back since 2018, fortunately has been revived, and today it has come alive for the purpose it was conceived abinitio.
Again, on the area of total radar coverage of Nigeria (TRACON), NAMA has remained upbeat and sensitive in covering the whole country. As it stands, the agency has the capacity to pick any aircraft within 130 kilometre radius. Also confirmed equally is that work is presently going on to deploying ground security surveillance system, capable of detecting large movement of people, including vehicles and motor bikes, near critical assets around the country. Due to the insecurity challenge, NAMA says plans equally have reached advance stage to acquiring drone detection and jamming surveillance systems.
This, the agency to said, would enhance the penetration of drones into immediate vicinity of Nigeria Airports going forward, It is also on record that the Automatic Dependent Surveillance contract (ADS-C), which is satellite based and covered the entire Nigeria airspace, is the best that could happen in modern airspace management monitoring.
The primary and secondary radar the agency says backs each other, ruling out completely the possibility of the whole nine radars falling at the same time, just as it is also difficult to have power failure since each of the radars is powered by a separate power system from generators and linked to the national grid.
Talking about good development also in the agency, NAMA has intensified efforts on electronic flight progress strip management system which was in place prior before now in Lagos, Abuja and Port – Harcourt, while work is ongoing on other airports, on its bid for complete phase out of paper strips to further enhance speedy delivery of services and professionalism which is the order of the day in air traffic management system.
On the other hand, the Aeronautical Information Service (AIS), automation project which took off in the 2008 is currently receiving dose of attention and according to reliable information, all the grey arrears that stalled the speedy completion of the project, 15 years after it was started have been adequately addressed.
The interesting thing is that, these developments are happening in quick succession and at a time the acting MD, came on board. The agency has continued to witness what can be described as renewed hope, with massive overhaul of infrastructure, state of the art air navigation equipments as well as first class ground support facilities and other sundry areas of interest that have made operations seamless.
Prior before now, the conditions of Nigeria’s navaids resulted to industrial disharmony between the Air Traffic Controllers (ATC), and former NAMA management. The pilots too, who are also critical stake-holders were not left out in the imbroglio, but today, there is a new song in the agency given the massive works almost everywhere, especially on the country’s runways in the recent times.
Quoting from the NAMA airspace news “works have been done on the domestic runaway of Lagos 18L. In Benin also, instruments landing systems have also been installed on the runways, including Enugu, Maiduguri, Abuja, Sokota, Yola, Jos, Minna and also Akure”.
This also means that works are still ongoing following the deployment of modern navigational systems, purely targeted to improve enroute navigation throughout the country. Under Pwajok also, the agency announced its readiness to train airspace managers in all the airports in Nigeria, on Global Air Navigation plan. The idea however is that, the training would not only expose the beneficiaries but would also enrich their knowledge and bring them at par with their colleagues in aviation business around the world.
The speedy recovery of the aviation industry after it was dealt devastating blow by the covid 19 pandemic is a plus for all CEO’s in the aviation industry, especially for NAMA, whose revenue largely declined due to dearth of number of aircraft that operated into the country when the airspace was completely shut down two years ago. That speaks volume while almost everybody including the unions in the system are clamouring for the confirmation of the present NAMA boss as the substantive Chief Executive Officer of the agency, for him to continue the good work.
The safety of the Nigeria airspace is good for everyone especially for the flying public. No wonder the Southern Jos Plateau born aviator at any fora never ceases to declare the safety of the Nigeria airspace.
“Categorically, I can say it out loud and clear that the Nigerian airspace is safe and secure. It is efficient, effective, and economical for operations. We have made a lot of investments in air navigation facilities to guarantee safety and efficiency of flight operations. In terms-of surveillance, we have the Total Radar Coverage that we are currently upgrading to enhance her capacity and efficiency. Our TRACON adequately covers the entire Nigerian airspace and overlaps into adjacent airspaces of Douala, Malabo, Niamey, Ndjamena, Cotonou, Lome, Accra, etc.
Now, if we have adequate coverage in terms of surveillance that means we can see flights in and out of our country, so safety, security and efficiency are guaranteed. Secondly, for navigation, an array of over twenty new navigational facilities has been installed. I earlier told you of installation of CAT Ill ILS which has the highest navigational capability.
In addition, three CAT Ill ILS will be installed in Katsina, Kano and Port Harcourt. I also told you we have just completed a voice communicat extended range facility nationwide that is covering the upper airspace in Kano and Lagos. Furthermore, we have PEN and satellite navigation to back up the ground navigation system which is virtually in all airports except for Jalingo. In terms of navigation, we have done more than enough. In terms of air traffic management, I have talked about ongoing upgrade of the safe towers, to increase capacity and efficiency of the system. I have also talked about the upgrade of Total Radar Coverage that will automate and transform the current system to highest level of a top sky radar system. This will be a complete software and hardware upgrade.
We have talked about the AIS automation that handles information flow, changing from a manual process to an automated or electronic process where you can file your flight plan from anywhere and get information from any airport in Nigeria. The weather information system is being integrated into our air traffic management system where on real time basis we get weather information that we will send to flight crew, and then the multilateration that is dedicated for low flying helicopters in the Niger Delta. We have also talked about the UTM system that is dedicated for monitoring drones or APAS in the Niger Delta. Also of note is the recent implementation of Free Routing Airspace, a capability that is unparalleled in the entire region. Nigeria is the first country so far that has implemented it in Africa and a Free Routing Airspace gives airlines the capacity and the ability to fly any direction freely not going on fixed routes. So, we can say confidently anywhere that our airspace is safe, secure, efficient, and economical to operate in.”
With the New Year in view, chances is that, NAMA, under Mathew Lawrence Pwajok would soar in Leaps and bounds in every facet of its operations including human capital development which is the driving force of any successful organization by the covid 19 pandemic is a plus for all CEO’s in the aviation industry, especially for NAMA, whose revenue largely declined due to dearth of number of aircraft that operated into the country when the airspace was completely shut down two years ago. That speaks volume while almost everybody including the unions in the system are clamouring for the confirmation of the present NAMA boss as the substantive Chief Executive Officer of the agency, for him to continue the good work.
The safety of the Nigeria airspace is good for everyone especially for the flying public. No wonder the Southern Jos Plateau born aviator at any fora never ceases to declare the safety of the Nigeria airspace.
“Categorically, I can say it out loud and clear that the Nigerian airspace is safe and secure. It is efficient, effective, and economical for operations. We have made a lot of investments in air navigation facilities to guarantee safety and efficiency of flight operations. In terms-of surveillance, we have the Total Radar Coverage that we are currently upgrading to enhance her capacity and efficiency. Our TRACON adequately covers the entire Nigerian airspace and overlaps into adjacent airspaces of Douala, Malabo, Niamey, Ndjamena, Cotonou, Lome, Accra, etc.
Now, if we have adequate coverage in terms of surveillance that means we can see flights in and out of our country, so safety, security and efficiency are guaranteed. Secondly, for navigation, an array of over twenty new navigational facilities has been installed. I earlier told you of installation of CAT Ill ILS which has the highest navigational capability.
In addition, three CAT Ill ILS will be installed in Katsina, Kano and Port Harcourt. I also told you we have just completed a voice communicat extended range facility nationwide that is covering the upper airspace in Kano and Lagos. Furthermore, we have PEN and satellite navigation to back up the ground navigation system which is virtually in all airports except for Jalingo. In terms of navigation, we have done more than enough. In terms of air traffic management, I have talked about ongoing upgrade of the safe towers, to increase capacity and efficiency of the system. I have also talked about the upgrade of Total Radar Coverage that will automate and transform the current system to highest level of a top sky radar system. This will be a complete software and hardware upgrade.
We have talked about the AIS automation that handles information flow, changing from a manual process to an automated or electronic process where you can file your flight plan from anywhere and get information from any airport in Nigeria. The weather information system is being integrated into our air traffic management system where on real time basis we get weather information that we will send to flight crew, and then the multilateration that is dedicated for low flying helicopters in the Niger Delta. We have also talked about the UTM system that is dedicated for monitoring drones or APAS in the Niger Delta. Also of note is the recent implementation of Free Routing Airspace, a capability that is unparalleled in the entire region. Nigeria is the first country so far that has implemented it in Africa and a Free Routing Airspace gives airlines the capacity and the ability to fly any direction freely not going on fixed routes. So, we can say confidently anywhere that our airspace is safe, secure, efficient, and economical to operate in.”
With the New Year in view, chances is that, NAMA, under Mathew Lawrence Pwajok would soar in Leaps and bounds in every facet of its operations including human capital development which is the driving force of any successful organization
