December 30, (THEWILL) — The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has informed that the absence of widespread CAT III systems does not equate to compromised safety in aviation, emphasising that such assumption is totally misleading.
According to the agency, aviation safety is determined by appropriateness and reliability, not by deploying the highest available technology where it is operationally unjustified.
NAMA, in an official statement issued on Tuesday, signed by the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer, Dr Abdullahi Musa, was reacting to set the records straight on a publication on harmattan operations and air safety In Nigeria, whereby a publication has made false claims about the Harmattan season.
NAMA stated that a newspaper, while highlighting the perennial challenges of Harmattan weather, had advanced claims that could mislead the public regarding the state of air navigation safety and the serviceability of landing facilities across Nigerian airports.
The agency asserted that while seasonal meteorological conditions are a legitimate subject of public discourse, it is essential that such discussions are anchored on technical accuracy, regulatory context, and an informed understanding of how aviation safety systems function.
Contrary to insinuations that Nigeria’s landing facilities are poorly maintained or unfit for Harmattan operations, NAMA stated unequivocally that all navigational aids (NAVAIDs) at Federal Government airports are routinely maintained, flight-checked, and calibrated in strict compliance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig CARs).
These processes, NAMA stated are not discretionary but are mandatory safety requirements, conducted using NAMA’s dedicated flight inspection and calibration aircraft, operated by highly trained technical and flight inspection personnel.
“Equipment such as Instrument Landing Systems (ILS), VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR), Distance Measuring Equipment (DME), and other CNS/ATM infrastructure undergo periodic ground and airborne verification to ensure operational accuracy, signal integrity, and safety reliability.
“Furthermore, all such activities are carried out under continuous regulatory oversight by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which audits compliance, validates calibration cycles, and enforces corrective actions where necessary.
“In line with global best practices, NAMA does not operate in opacity. The status of navigational aids nationwide is formally published through Aeronautical Information Publications (AIP) Supplements, accessible to airlines, pilots, operators, and international stakeholders.
“Specifically, AIP Supplement S81/2025 dated 9 October 2025 comprehensively documented the calibration and serviceability status of all NAVAIDs in Nigeria. At the time of publication, only the ILS facilities at Maiduguri, Ilorin, Owerri, Zaria, Minna, and Calabar were approaching due calibration dates, while all other systems nationwide remained within valid inspection periods Subsequently, in December 2025, NAMA conducted a nationwide round of flight calibration exercises, restoring serviceability timelines across multiple locations.
Also, in keeping with this proactive cyclical inspection regime, the aviation agency hinted that, the next round of calibration is scheduled to handle Katsina, Jos, Ilorin, Yola, and Owerri airports early in the new year.
“One of the more persistent misconceptions in public commentary relates to the assumption that CAT III Instrument Landing Systems must be deployed at all airports to guarantee safety, particularly during Harmattan.
“This view is technically inaccurate and inconsistent with global aviation practice. The deployment of ILS CAT I, CAT II, or CAT III is determined by operational need, traffic volume, aircraft equipage, airline capability, and long-term meteorological data—not by prestige, optics, or public perception”, NAMA stated.
NAMA also informed that the agency work closely with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) to ensure continuous dissemination of accurate and timely weather information, while providing real-time air traffic management support throughout the Harmattan period.
It insisted that the Nigerian airspace is safe, professionally managed, and aligned with global best practice, adding that “While Harmattan weather presents operational challenges, it does not imply infrastructural failure or diminished safety standards. Public commentary on aviation matters must therefore be informed, responsible, and technically grounded.”
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
