Umar Farouk, Director General of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), has declared the N11,000 flight charge levied on airline operators in Nigeria as unsustainable due to current economic realities. Speaking at a summit in Abuja on Tuesday, organized for the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Farouk highlighted the need for a review of the charge, unchanged since 2008.
The summit, themed “Emerging Trends in Global Aviation: Sustainability, Technology, and Digital Transformation,” addressed stakeholders in the aviation sector. Farouk explained that the N11,000 fee applies per flight, not per passenger, using a Lagos-Abuja flight as an example. He noted that while airlines now charge between N150,000 and N200,000 for economy tickets, NAMA’s fee has remained static despite significant investments in advanced landing, surveillance, and communication systems to keep pace with global technological standards.
“As a cost recovery agency, we cannot continue to receive peanuts while airlines adjust their fares to reflect economic conditions,” Farouk stated. He emphasized that NAMA has repeatedly tried to engage airlines to discuss a fee review, but the response has been inadequate. “We are not a charity. We procure expensive equipment to ensure safety, yet airlines want to pay minimal fees while charging appropriate fares for their services,” he added.
Farouk stressed that a fair cost recovery mechanism is essential to maintain safety and modernization without compromising standards.
Earlier, Abdullahi Garba, Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, represented by Deputy Chairman Festus Akingbaso, described the summit as a critical partnership to improve Nigeria’s aviation sector. He emphasized the goal of developing actionable plans to enhance safety, infrastructure, and regulatory compliance.
