Nigeria’s aviation sector is facing a fresh crisis as air traffic controllers threaten to withdraw their services over deteriorating communication and surveillance equipment used to manage the nation’s airspace.
The controllers, under the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), warned that they could embark on industrial action if the Federal Government fails to present a clear plan for urgently overhauling the country’s failing aviation infrastructure.
The association said the condition of the equipment used by controllers to coordinate aircraft movements and maintain safe distances between planes had become increasingly frustrating, despite government approvals and announced procurement plans.
NATCA National President, Edino Amos, raised the alarm on Tuesday at the association’s 55th Annual General Meeting, warning that 2026 had been particularly difficult for air traffic controllers across the country.
Amos lamented that there had been no significant improvement in communication and surveillance infrastructure, insisting that announcements of government approvals had yet to translate into functional equipment at control centres.
He said the association could no longer continue to endure the situation without concrete action, warning that a withdrawal of services was becoming an option.
“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 said.
The association disclosed that it had made several attempts to get the authorities to address the problem, including seeking meetings with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the National Counter Terrorism Centre, the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.
But the efforts have yet to produce the desired results, according to the controllers.
Amos maintained that communication and surveillance systems, which are critical to flight safety, should not be left at the mercy of funding uncertainties and prolonged procurement procedures.
He warned that continued neglect of the infrastructure could undermine airspace safety, increase operational inefficiencies and expose airlines to avoidable financial losses.
The NATCA president listed improved flight safety, increased airline traffic, higher government revenue, stronger national security and a better international rating for Nigeria among the benefits of investing in modern surveillance systems.
Making a direct appeal to the aviation minister, Amos insisted that the association was not seeking confrontation with the government but was raising the alarm over a matter of national importance.
“Honourable Minister, we make this call not as a threat, but as patriots who sit daily before screens and failing frequencies to keep this country safe,” he said.
The warning raises fresh concerns over the safety and efficiency of Nigeria’s airspace, with a possible withdrawal of air traffic controllers’ services threatening to disrupt flight operations across the country.
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