NATCA Threatens Strike Over Deteriorating Aviation Surveillance Infrastructure

Nigeria’s air traffic controllers have threatened to withdraw their services over the government’s failure to upgrade the country’s deteriorating communication and surveillance systems. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) warned that the continued reliance on inadequate equipment is jeopardizing aviation safety and testing the patience of the professionals responsible for managing the nation’s airspace.

NATCA President Edino Amos disclosed this on Tuesday during the association’s 55th Annual General Meeting, themed “Beyond Silos to Synergy: Shaping the Future of Nigerian Air Traffic Management.”

Amos stated that 2026 has been particularly difficult for controllers nationwide, with little to no meaningful improvement in the tools they rely on to coordinate aircraft movements and maintain safe separation between flights.

Despite government approvals and announced procurement milestones, Amos lamented that these promises have not translated into functional upgrades at control consoles across the country.

“On infrastructure, the year under review has been a difficult one for the Association. Despite the considerable challenges faced by ATCOs across the length and breadth of the country, there has been no significant improvement in our communication and surveillance infrastructure,” Amos said.

“We acknowledge the approvals and procurement milestones that have been announced. However, these have yet to translate into a material improvement in the equipment available to controllers at the console.”

The association noted that it has sought high-level engagements with key authorities, including the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the National Counter Terrorism Centre, the Office of the National Security Adviser, and the management of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

However, expressing dissatisfaction with the pace of government intervention, Amos warned that the lack of concrete commitments could trigger industrial action.

“It is with a deep sense of responsibility that I state that this frustrating engagement is pushing the Association towards considering the withdrawal of our services, should there be no clear strategic plan for the total overhaul of communication and surveillance infrastructure in Nigeria,” he warned.

He argued that significant investment in these systems would yield five critical benefits: improved airspace safety, reduced economic waste and better profitability for airlines, increased airline traffic and government revenue, stronger national security, and an improved global rating for Nigeria. He emphasized that reliable surveillance infrastructure is vital not only for civil aviation but also for broader national security objectives.

Amos urged the aviation minister to view the association’s stance not as a threat, but as a patriotic intervention by professionals deeply concerned about the safety of the country’s airspace.