Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has directed the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to immediately suspend its recent decision to hike navigational charges by 800%.
NAMA’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Musa, who announced this in a statement on Monday said the suspension was due to the current economic challenges faced by Nigerians.
NAMA on Friday announced its intention to raise its navigation charges by 800 per cent, a decision that raised concerns from both passengers and stakeholders in the aviation sector.
The Managing Director of NAMA, Farouk Umar, while speaking at the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents Annual Conference held in Lagos, stressed that the agency relies on statutory charges for managing the airspace.
Umar further said the Nigerian airspace management agency had proposed an increase in its charges to sustain its operations and ensure the safety and efficiency of Nigeria’s airspace.
According to him, the new unit rate/minimum charge for en-route was set to increase to N18,000 from N2,000 per flight while the unit rate/minimum charge for terminal navigation charge for domestic airlines was to rise to N54,000 from N6,000 per flight with effect from September 1, 2024.
But the NAMA’s boss positions were overruled by Keyamo. The agency’s spokesperson said the decision to suspend the hike in charges was in response to the directive of the aviation minister.
Musa said the decision follows the minister’s recognition of the current economic challenges faced by Nigerians.
He further noted that the minister emphasised the need for further consultation before implementing any changes, highlighting the importance of being sensitive to the plight of Nigerians amidst the economic challenges.
The statement reads in part, “The Nigerian Airspace Management agency would continue to engage the airlines, who have been responding to the prevailing economic situation since 2008 without taking NAMA into consideration, which is supposed to be a cost recovery agency in line with global practices.
“The directive from the minister and the subsequent suspension of the planned increase underscores the government’s commitment to addressing the concerns of Nigerian citizens and stakeholders in the aviation sector.
“The suspension of the fee increase is a testament to the government’s responsiveness to public concerns and its commitment to balancing economic sustainability with the needs of its citizens.”