Nigerians couldn’t hide their feelings when the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) in December, 2025 signed contractual documents for the construction of a new Air Traffic Management center and a Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
The development, considered a very positive step in the right direction, also attracted international commendations. This new structure according to an Australian tourist in Abuja, Mr Kelvin Frederick will not only add up to the aesthetic value of the airport but also improve service delivery.
Collaborating this assertion, a statement by Dr Abdullahi Musa, the NAMA’s Director of Publicity and Consumer Protection, said the initiative is not only another historic milestone in the agency’s institutional growth but also a plus for Nigeria’s aviation development..
Making his position known during the signing ceremony in Abuja, NAMA’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Ahmed Umar Farouk, affirmed that the project was strategic and forward-looking investment designed to position Nigeria’s airspace management system at par with global best practices.
Engr. Farouk further stressed that the new facility will serve dual purpose of housing NAMA’s Corporate Headquarters and at the same time accommodate a centralised Air Traffic Management (ATM) Centre.
According to Farouk, the development represents a major positive operational shift, hence it will consolidate airspace control functions that were previously decentralised to a centralized place.
“What this structure represents is far more than office space. It will house the Air Traffic Management Centre that brings under one roof what used to be the Kano Area Control Centre (ACC) and the Lagos Area Control Centre (ACC).
“From this single facility, air traffic across the entire Nigerian airspace will be managed and coordinated.”
Explaining why consolidation of air traffic control operations into one integrated national centre will significantly enhance operational efficiency, Engr. Farouk added that, doing so will so help improve safety oversight, and strengthen Nigeria’s compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices.
“This facility will house critical and sensitive operational infrastructure, making quality, safety, and durability paramount”, Engr. Farouk enthused.
While urging the project contractor, NHD Interbiz Projects Limited, to ensure strict adherence to structural integrity, engineering excellence, and globally accepted construction standards, Farouk said, “This is a mission-critical facility that will support the safety of our skies and the efficiency of air navigation services nationwide.
“There will be no compromise on quality. Management will closely monitor every stage of execution to ensure value for money, transparency, and long-term sustainability.”N
Registering his appreciation to the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN) for facilitating the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval that made the project possible, Engr. Farouk described the Minister’s support as instrumental to the actualisation of the agency’s vision for modern, centralised airspace management infrastructure.
Farouk further commended NAMA’s management and staff for their dedication and professionalism throughout the contracting process, with special recognition given to the Legal Services Department for ensuring due process, regulatory compliance, and adherence to best practices.
Speaking earlier, NAMA’s Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary, Mrs. Rita Egbadon, described the signing as a landmark achievement in the agency’s history.
Egbadon explained that the contract was the result of several months of meticulous legal structuring, compliance alignment, and risk allocation, all deliberately designed to protect the public interest and safeguard NAMA’s long-term institutional integrity
Giving specific objective of the development, Mrs Egbadon said the project brings closure to an era in which the agency operated from facilities that did not fully reflect the scale, sensitivity, and national importance of its mandate.
