Reps commit to aviation sector growth as NAMA seeks 56% share

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

The House of Representatives has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s aviation sector through legislative reforms that will align the country’s aviation laws with global best practices.

This came as the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) appealed to the National Assembly to increase its share of the statutory five per cent aviation revenue pool from the current 22 per cent to 56 per cent, citing rising operational costs and the need to sustain critical air navigation infrastructure.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, stated this at a public hearing organised by the House Committee on Aviation on two bills seeking amendments to key aviation laws.

The proposed legislations are the Bill for an Act to Amend the Civil Aviation Act, 2022, to revise the revenue-sharing formula among aviation agencies, and the Bill for an Act to Amend the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (Establishment) Act, 2022, to review the percentage of statutory charges accruing to the agency.

Abbas said strengthening the legal and financial framework of the aviation sector was essential to ensuring stable funding for agencies responsible for safety, regulation, and airspace management.

According to him, the reforms would support aviation’s role as a driver of commerce, tourism, and national development.

“As a House, we are committed to ensuring that our aviation laws are aligned with global best practices, guarantee stable and sustainable funding for vital agencies, and promote the growth of aviation as a driver of commerce, tourism, and national development.”

Abbas explained that the proposed amendments were designed to introduce transparent and automated remittance of the statutory five per cent Passenger/Cargo Service Charges, improve revenue distribution among aviation institutions, and enhance the capacity of agencies responsible for managing Nigeria’s airspace.

“At their core, these proposals are about improving safety, efficiency, investor confidence, and the quality of service enjoyed by the Nigerian travelling public,” the Speaker added.

Managing Director of NAMA, Farouk Umar, told lawmakers that the increasing cost of maintaining safety-critical infrastructure was placing significant pressure on the country’s air navigation system.

Umar said Nigeria’s airspace management operations required substantial investment in communication systems, navigation facilities, surveillance equipment, technical manpower, and maintenance infrastructure.

He pointed out that while the Civil Aviation Act currently provides a 22 per cent allocation to NAMA, the NAMA Act provides 23 per cent under its Fund provisions, creating inconsistencies that require legislative harmonisation.

According to him, aviation revenue sharing should not be determined by historical percentages but by audited operational costs, statutory responsibilities, and safety risks associated with each agency’s mandate.

“The law should speak with one voice. The beneficiaries should be named correctly; the percentages should total 100 per cent; collection and remittance responsibilities should be unambiguous; and the effective date should be clear.”

Umar acknowledged that increasing NAMA’s allocation would raise concerns among other aviation agencies but argued that the financial realities of air navigation services required urgent attention.

He described air traffic control as the backbone of aviation safety, noting that every communication between pilots and controllers represents the operation of a national safety system.

“When a pilot calls an air traffic controller over Nigerian airspace, that voice is more than a radio transmission. It is the sound of a national safety system working.”

He appealed to the National Assembly to approve a 56 per cent allocation for NAMA from the existing five per cent statutory pool, harmonise conflicting provisions in aviation laws, recognise obstacle assessment and WGS-84 aeronautical survey as chargeable technical services, and establish transparent automated remittance systems.

He, however, stressed that increased funding should be matched with accountability and oversight.

The Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Chris Najomo, said the agency was not opposed to strengthening other aviation institutions.

However, he cautioned that changes to the statutory revenue structure must be carefully considered to ensure that Nigeria maintains an effective aviation safety oversight system consistent with the standards and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Najomo said the proposal should not be viewed solely as a redistribution of revenue but also in terms of its impact on the country’s ability to regulate aviation effectively and protect passengers.

“The proposal before this distinguished Committee should therefore be considered not merely as a redistribution of statutory revenue, but in terms of its potential impact on Nigeria’s ability to sustain an effective State Safety Oversight System consistent with the Standards and Recommended Practices of ICAO and to safeguard the travelling public,” he said.

Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, Abdullahi Garba, commended stakeholders for their contributions toward improving safety and development within the sector.

Garba said the proposed amendments, if passed into law, would strengthen the financial and institutional foundation of Nigeria’s aviation industry, with direct consequences for safety, transparency, and service delivery.

The lawmakers are expected to continue consultations with relevant stakeholders before advancing the proposed amendments for legislative consideration.