BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is set to end fragmented air traffic control as it plans to build a new headquarters in Abuja equipped with a state-of-the-art Air Traffic Management (ATM) Centre.
The deal has been sealed with an agreement, signed in the Federal Capital Territory and signals a new chapter in the agency’s institutional evolution and highlights Nigeria’s commitment to modern, efficient and globally compliant aviation infrastructure.
Speaking at the ceremony, NAMA’s Managing Director and Chief Executive, Engineer Ahmed Umar Farouk, described the project as a strategic, future-facing investment that will reposition Nigeria’s airspace management system to match international best practice.
According to him, the new complex is designed to serve a dual function: as NAMA’s Corporate Headquarters and as a centralised national Air Traffic Management Centre, marking a major operational shift for the agency.
“What this structure represents is far more than office space. It will house the Air Traffic Management Centre that brings under one roof what used to be the Kano Area Control Centre (ACC) and the Lagos Area Control Centre (ACC). From this single facility, air traffic across the entire Nigerian airspace will be managed and coordinated”, he said.
He explained that the consolidation of airspace control functions, previously spread across multiple locations, will significantly improve operational efficiency, enhance safety oversight and strengthen Nigeria’s compliance with the Standards and Recommended Practices of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The NAMA boss stressed that the new headquarters will host critical and sensitive aviation infrastructure, making uncompromising quality and safety standards non-negotiable.
He charged the project contractor, NHD Interbiz Projects Limited, to deliver a structure that meets the highest benchmarks of engineering excellence and durability.
“This is a mission-critical facility that will support the safety of our skies and the efficiency of air navigation services nationwide.
“There will be no compromise on quality. Management will closely monitor every stage of execution to ensure value for money, transparency, and long-term sustainability”, the NAMA boss added.
He also acknowledged the role of the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, in facilitating the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval that cleared the path for the project.
Engineer Farouk described the minister’s intervention as pivotal to translating NAMA’s long-held vision for a modern, centralised airspace management hub into reality.
The Managing Director further commended NAMA’s management and workforce for their professionalism and commitment throughout the contracting process, with special praise for the Legal Services Department for ensuring due process and strict adherence to regulatory requirements.
Earlier, the Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary, Mrs. Rita Egbadon, described the contract signing as a defining moment in NAMA’s history.
She explained that the agreement was the product of months of rigorous legal drafting, compliance alignment and risk allocation, all carefully structured to protect the public interest and safeguard the agency’s long-term institutional integrity.
Mrs. Egbadon added that the project effectively closes a chapter in which NAMA operated from facilities that fell short of reflecting the scale, sensitivity and national importance of its mandate.
With the contract now sealed, the new headquarters and ATM Centre are expected to redefine how Nigeria manages its skies, reinforcing safety, efficiency and national aviation pride.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
