BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
Tension is building across Nigeria’s aviation sector as the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATCA) signals it may introduce nationwide flow control measures to ease mounting physical and mental fatigue among controllers, a development tied to what it describes as decaying communication, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) infrastructure and worsening welfare conditions.
In a strongly-worded statement jointly signed by NATCA President, Edino Ilemona Amos, and General Secretary, Umar Fahad, the association painted a troubling picture of a safety-critical workforce stretched to its limits, warning that the integrity of the country’s airspace can no longer be taken for granted.
NATCA said its concerns are neither exaggerated nor emotional, but rooted in the daily realities faced by air traffic controllers operating under intense pressure.
According to the association, controllers are grappling with “sustained operational deficiencies, inadequate working tools, unresolved welfare issues, and severe psychological strain,” conditions it warned are incompatible with a profession that demands constant alertness and precision.
At the heart of the crisis is the continued reliance on obsolete CNS infrastructure.
NATCA noted that critical systems required for communication, navigation, and surveillance remain outdated and unreliable, forcing controllers to improvise around technical shortcomings that should not exist in a modern aviation environment.
The association warned bluntly that “no airspace can be truly safe when the people responsible for managing it are compelled to operate beyond the safe limits of their available systems,” highlighting the direct link between infrastructure decay and operational risk.
Equally concerning, NATCA said, is the lack of structured training and manpower development.
In an industry driven by rapidly evolving technology and strict global standards, the association lamented the absence of consistent retraining programmes and long-term workforce planning.
Without sustained investment in capacity building, NATCA cautioned that Nigeria risks producing fewer adequately prepared controllers, even as traffic demand continues to grow.
This, it said, could weaken operational resilience and compound existing safety concerns.
The association also drew attention to unsafe and substandard working environments, particularly in some control towers that fall short of basic ergonomic and safety requirements.
It referenced the recent fire incident at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos as a stark example of the dangers controllers face.
According to NATCA, controllers had to escape under hazardous conditions before being rescued by crane, only to resume operations almost immediately despite the trauma.
The association said the episode exposes the often overlooked risks faced by personnel who continue to serve under extreme pressure.
Beyond infrastructure and safety concerns, NATCA highlighted a deepening welfare crisis marked by prolonged career stagnation.
It revealed that many experienced controllers have remained on Grade Level 16 for between six and thirteen years, a situation it described as “deeply demoralising” in a profession that demands discipline and long-term commitment.
The association warned that delayed promotions send the wrong signal to professionals entrusted with safeguarding lives, adding that such stagnation undermines motivation and weakens institutional morale.
NATCA also criticised the failure to review professional and aeromedical allowances, noting that these have remained unchanged since 2012 despite worsening economic realities.
It stressed that these allowances are not perks, but essential support required to maintain certification, operational readiness, and the health standards mandated by international aviation regulations.
The situation is further complicated, the association said, by discrepancies in the application of post-licence rating allowances.
Controllers, it noted, are not being properly compensated in line with approved structures, creating financial hardship and uncertainty.
Despite repeated efforts to seek clarification and correction, NATCA said the issue remains unresolved, eroding trust and increasing frustration among its members.
It emphasised that accurate and timely remuneration is critical in a high-stakes profession where distraction and stress can have serious consequences.
Adding to the strain, the association disclosed that claims submitted by controllers for legitimate operational and duty-related expenses have remained unpaid for months.
This, it said, has forced many officers to personally shoulder work-related costs at a time of rising living expenses, further depressing morale across the system.
In a bid to address manpower shortages, NATCA proposed that retiring air traffic controllers be reabsorbed into the system at one grade level below their current rank, subject to medical fitness and operational needs.
The association argued that such a policy would allow the aviation sector to retain valuable experience and institutional knowledge, while easing pressure on younger controllers.
Given the lengthy training cycle required to produce qualified controllers, NATCA described this approach as both practical and safety-conscious.
The association also pointed to growing dissatisfaction stemming from structural imbalances within the aviation system, where highly experienced controllers are increasingly required to work under their junior counterparts in other departments serving as airspace managers.
This, NATCA said, has “deepened frustration, damaged dignity, and weakened confidence” within the profession.
It warned that declining morale is no longer an isolated issue, but part of a broader welfare crisis that now threatens operational stability.
While acknowledging ongoing efforts by the Minister of Aviation and relevant authorities, NATCA insisted that urgent and decisive intervention is required. It called for meaningful engagement and long-term solutions to address infrastructure deficits, welfare concerns, and manpower gaps.
The association stressed that its demands are not about luxury, but about ensuring the minimum conditions necessary for safe and effective service delivery.
“These issues are not only about staff welfare; they are about the safety of passengers, airlines, airport users, and the entire aviation ecosystem,” NATCA stated, warning that continued neglect will only increase pressure on the very professionals responsible for managing Nigeria’s skies.
With the threat of nationwide flow control measures looming, the aviation industry now faces a critical moment, as regulators and stakeholders weigh how quickly and effectively they can respond to concerns that strike at the core of safety and operational integrity.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
