NAMA Debunks Harmattan Safety Claims, Reaffirms Air Navigation Standards Across Nigerian Airports

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has dismissed recent claims suggesting that Harmattan weather exposes weaknesses in Nigeria’s air navigation safety infrastructure, insisting that the country’s airports remain safe and fully compliant with international aviation standards.

In a statement signed by Dr Abdullahi Musa, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at NAMA, and issued on 29 December 2025, NAMA said it was compelled to respond to a national newspaper publication which, while addressing the seasonal challenges associated with Harmattan haze, advanced assertions that could mislead the public about the serviceability of landing facilities and the overall state of air navigation safety in Nigeria.

The agency acknowledged that Harmattan meteorological conditions are a recurring operational challenge but stressed that public discussions on the subject must be technically accurate and properly contextualised.

According to NAMA, conflating weather-induced operational limitations with alleged infrastructural deficiencies risks creating unnecessary anxiety among air travellers and stakeholders.

Setting the record straight, NAMA stated unequivocally that all navigational aids (NAVAIDs) at Federal Government airports are routinely maintained, flight-checked and calibrated in strict compliance with the Standards and Recommended Practices of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), as well as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig CARs).

The agency explained that these procedures are mandatory safety requirements, not discretionary actions. They are carried out using NAMA’s dedicated flight inspection and calibration aircraft, operated by highly trained technical and flight inspection personnel.

Critical equipment such as Instrument Landing Systems (ILS), Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR), Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) and other Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) infrastructure are subjected to periodic ground and airborne verification to ensure accuracy, signal integrity and operational reliability.

NAMA further noted that all calibration and maintenance activities are conducted under the continuous regulatory oversight of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which audits compliance, validates inspection cycles and enforces corrective actions where required.

In line with global best practice and transparency, the agency said the operational status of navigational aids nationwide is formally published through Aeronautical Information Publications (AIP) Supplements, which are accessible to airlines, pilots, operators and international aviation stakeholders.

It cited AIP Supplement S81/2025, dated 9 October 2025, which comprehensively documented the calibration and serviceability status of all NAVAIDs in Nigeria.

At the time of publication, NAMA said only the ILS facilities at Maiduguri, Ilorin, Owerri, Zaria, Minna and Calabar were approaching their due calibration dates, while all other systems nationwide remained within valid inspection periods.

According to the agency, a nationwide round of flight calibration exercises was conducted in December 2025, extending serviceability timelines across several airports.

It added that another round of proactive calibration is scheduled early in the new year to cover Katsina, Jos, Ilorin, Yola and Owerri airports.

Addressing persistent public misconceptions, NAMA rejected the notion that Category III Instrument Landing Systems must be installed at all airports to guarantee safety during Harmattan. The agency described this view as technically inaccurate and inconsistent with global aviation practice.

It explained that the deployment of ILS CAT I, CAT II or CAT III systems is determined by operational needs, traffic volume, aircraft equipage, airline capability and long-term meteorological data, rather than by prestige or public perception.

Globally, NAMA noted, many efficient international airports operate safely with CAT I or CAT II systems because prevailing weather conditions do not justify the complexity and cost of CAT III infrastructure.

NAMA revealed that historical meteorological data across Nigerian airports show that the least average runway visibility during Harmattan is approximately 150 metres.

In response, the agency said it has designed, validated and published instrument approach procedures aligned with ILS CAT II minima, which adequately support safe aircraft operations during the most challenging seasonal conditions typically experienced in the country.

“To suggest that the absence of widespread CAT III systems equates to compromised safety is misleading,” the agency stated, adding that aviation safety is determined by the appropriateness and reliability of systems, not by deploying the highest available technology where it is operationally unjustified.

The agency maintained that Nigerian airports with published ILS CAT II procedures are fully capable of supporting safe operations within approved minima, subject to airline and aircraft capability.

It added that where systems are temporarily withdrawn, downgraded or restricted, such actions are taken proactively and conservatively in the interest of safety, not as evidence of regulatory failure.

According to NAMA, Harmattan-related delays, diversions or cancellations are largely driven by weather conditions, airline operational decisions and aircraft capability, rather than neglect or failure of navigational aids.

While weather cannot be eliminated, the agency said it can be effectively managed through accurate forecasting, conservative decision-making and strict adherence to established operational minima.

In this regard, NAMA said it works closely with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) to ensure the continuous dissemination of accurate and timely weather information, while providing real-time air traffic management support throughout the Harmattan period.

Reaffirming its position, NAMA stated that Nigeria’s airspace remains safe, professionally managed and aligned with global best practice. While Harmattan weather presents operational challenges, it does not imply infrastructural failure or diminished safety standards.

The agency called for responsible, informed and technically grounded public commentary on aviation matters, stressing that it remains open to constructive engagement but will continue to correct inaccuracies whenever they arise, in the collective interest of safe, secure and efficient air travel in Nigeria.