BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has clarified circumstances surrounding the deployment of a Mobile Control Tower at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, insisting that safety and engineering standards, not delay, are guiding the process.
In a statement issued Friday, the agency responded to a newspaper report titled “Three Weeks After, NAMA Yet to Deploy Mobile Tower,” published on March 13, 2026, saying the report overlooked critical aviation and engineering considerations required for such installations.
According to NAMA, contingency measures were immediately activated after the recent fire incident at the Aerodrome Control Tower at MMIA to ensure uninterrupted air navigation services.
“While the publication may have been motivated by public concern, it unfortunately overlooks critical technical and safety considerations that govern aviation infrastructure deployment,” the agency said.
As part of its emergency response, NAMA initiated arrangements to deploy a Mobile Control Tower to serve as a temporary operational facility while restoration works continue on the main tower.
However, the agency stressed that aviation control infrastructure cannot be installed hastily.
“Such facilities must comply with strict engineering and operational standards designed to safeguard aircraft operations,” it stated.
NAMA explained that the selected site for the mobile tower must provide optimal visual coverage of the runway, taxiways and other critical parts of the airfield to ensure air traffic controllers maintain effective situational awareness during aircraft movements.
It added that the location required excavation and structural casting to provide a stable foundation capable of supporting the tower infrastructure.
“Engineering standards further require that the casting be allowed to cure for a minimum of twenty-one days before any heavy structure can be mounted on it,” the agency said.
The project contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), also advised against premature installation, warning that doing so could damage the structure and compromise the project.
“In the overriding interest of safety and in line with global engineering standards, NAMA responsibly adhered to this professional advice. It is therefore inaccurate to interpret the waiting period as operational delay,” the agency noted.
Meanwhile, NAMA confirmed that air traffic control services at MMIA have remained uninterrupted.
“As an interim arrangement, the Fire Service Tower has been effectively utilized for Aerodrome Control operations pending the installation of the Mobile Tower,” it said.
The agency also disclosed that the Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network (AFTN) has been fully restored, while Aeronautical Information Service personnel are currently operating from the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) complex.
NAMA assured that the mobile tower is ready and will be installed within days once the mandatory curing period is completed.
Reaffirming its commitment to aviation safety, the agency stressed that “the process underway at MMIA reflects diligence rather than delay, responsibility rather than hesitation, and above all, an uncompromising commitment to the safety of the Nigerian airspace.”
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
