BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
To enhance Nigeria’s airspace communication infrastructure, a delegation from the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), led by its Managing Director, Engineer Farouk Ahmed Umar, is currently in Germany for a Factory Assessment Test (FAT) at the renowned Rohde & Schwarz manufacturing facility.
The visit, according to Dr. Abdullahi Musa, Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at NAMA, marks a major milestone in the agency’s ongoing efforts to modernise and upgrade the country’s air-to-ground communication systems.
During the assessment, the team will engage in high-level technical discussions with officials of Rohde & Schwarz, a global leader in communication technology, as well as with representatives of Deo Makro Ltd, the indigenous contracting firm that facilitated the initiative.
A key highlight of the project is the planned deployment of Rohde & Schwarz’s next-generation High-Frequency (HF) transceivers.
These systems feature advanced signal processing capabilities that effectively minimize noise and interference—common challenges with conventional HF technologies.
The integration of this technology is expected to significantly bolster long-range air-to-ground communication across Nigeria’s flight information regions.
Unlike traditional Very High Frequency (VHF) systems, which are limited in range, the new HF communication solution will provide extended coverage.
It will enhance communication reliability over remote and critical zones, including the Gulf of Guinea, the vast Atlantic corridor, and the far northern desert regions beyond the Kano Flight Information Region (FIR).
Speaking during the visit, Engineer Farouk Ahmed Umar expressed confidence that the deployment of this state-of-the-art communication equipment would elevate the quality and reach of upper airspace communication services in Nigeria.
He emphasized that the initiative aligns with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to promote air safety through sustained investment in aviation infrastructure and modernization of national airspace systems.
