Air Traffic Controllers Sound Alarm Over Outdated Equipment, Dwindling Morale

Air traffic controllers in Nigeria have issued a stark warning that the country’s airspace is approaching a critical safety threshold, citing obsolete equipment, excessive workloads, and a sharp decline in staff morale.

 

 

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) raised the concerns during a joint workshop in Lagos, organized by the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA) and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF). The event, focused on industrial relations and negotiation skills, became a platform for controllers to voice long‑standing systemic challenges.

 

 

NATCA President, Mr. Amos Edino, described the situation as a triple threat that has escalated from administrative neglect to a genuine risk to aviation safety. He pointed to outdated navigation aids, understaffing, and the psychological toll on personnel as factors pushing the workforce to a breaking point.

 

 

“These systemic failures have transitioned from mere administrative concerns into active threats to aviation safety,” Edino said. He noted that the workshop provided an opportunity for controllers to strengthen their collective voice in demanding urgent government intervention.

 

 

Edino called for a comprehensive overhaul of the engagement model between aviation regulators and stakeholders, emphasizing that technical upgrades alone would not suffice without corresponding improvements in working conditions and staff welfare.

 

 

Also speaking, IFATCA Executive Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Mr. Ahmad Abba, stressed that effective industrial relations are fundamental to aviation safety. He warned that as global air traffic becomes more complex, poor communication between regulators and frontline personnel could have dire consequences.

 

 

“We cannot afford the friction of poor communication between regulators and staff,” Abba said, urging a new era of collaboration to safeguard Nigeria’s airspace.

 

 

The workshop concluded with a renewed commitment from NATCA to advocate for modernization of air traffic control infrastructure, adequate staffing levels, and enhanced welfare packages to restore morale and ensure the safety of the flying public.