NAAE Urges National Assembly to Review 5% Ticket Sales Charge Sharing Formula, Seeks Greater Funding for NAMA

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The National Association of Air Traffic Engineers (NAAE) has called on the National Assembly to undertake a comprehensive, objective and equitable review of the current sharing formula for the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), insisting that the existing revenue allocation no longer reflects the operational realities and financial demands of Nigeria’s air navigation services.

The association made the appeal as the National Assembly prepares to commence public hearings on the Ticket Sales Charge, urging lawmakers to be guided by the statutory mandates, operational responsibilities, funding requirements and evolving roles of all aviation agencies while carrying out the review.

In a joint press statement signed by the President of NAAE, Engr Selzing Miri, and its Secretary, Engr Mohammed Shuaibu, the association stressed that the overriding objective of the review should be to strengthen Nigeria’s aviation safety architecture rather than promote institutional interests.

According to the association, Nigeria cannot effectively fulfil its obligations as an Air Navigation Service Provider if the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) continues to operate under financial constraints that are inconsistent with its statutory responsibilities.

NAAE argued that the current allocation formula, under which NAMA receives only 23 per cent of the Ticket Sales Charge while the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) receives 57 per cent, has become outdated and no longer reflects the technological, operational and financial realities of modern air navigation service provision.

The association explained that the sharing formula was introduced several decades ago when aviation technology was far less sophisticated than it is today.

It noted that since then, Nigeria has adopted Performance-Based Navigation (PBN), satellite surveillance technologies, digital communication systems, cybersecurity infrastructure and several International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)-mandated modernisation initiatives.

Despite these significant technological advancements and the increasing complexity of air navigation operations, NAAE observed that NAMA’s statutory share of the Ticket Sales Charge has remained virtually unchanged even as its operational responsibilities and maintenance costs have grown substantially.

The association maintained that the debate over the TSC allocation should not be viewed as a struggle among aviation agencies but rather as a national conversation aimed at ensuring that the institution responsible for the safe, orderly and efficient movement of aircraft within Nigerian airspace is adequately funded.

While acknowledging the critical regulatory oversight role played by the NCAA, NAAE maintained that regulation alone cannot guarantee aviation safety.

According to the association, effective aviation safety can only be achieved when robust regulatory oversight is complemented by reliable, uninterrupted and adequately funded air navigation services.

The statement reads in part: “Air navigation services constitute the backbone of aviation safety. Every aircraft that departs, transits or lands within Nigerian airspace depends continuously on NAMA’s Communications, Navigation, Surveillance and Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) infrastructure. These systems are sophisticated, safety-critical and capital-intensive. Their procurement, installation, calibration, maintenance, modernization and periodic replacement require enormous and sustained financial investment.

“Unlike several other aviation services, CNS/ATM facilities operate twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the year without interruption. Radar systems, Instrument Landing Systems (ILS), DVOR/DME facilities, ADS-B, Multilateration (MLAT), satellite-based navigation infrastructure, communication networks, Aeronautical Information Management (AIM), flight calibration programmes, power systems, cybersecurity architecture and numerous other safety-critical facilities demand continuous maintenance by highly skilled engineering personnel.”

NAAE warned that allowing these critical facilities to deteriorate because of inadequate funding would expose the country’s aviation sector to significant operational and safety risks.

The association further emphasised the indispensable role played by engineering personnel and other technical professionals within NAMA in ensuring safe flight operations across the country’s airspace.

It added: “Every successful take-off, every safe en-route flight, every instrument approach and every safe landing depends upon the seamless operation of engineering systems designed, installed, maintained and monitored by dedicated Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel and other aviation professionals within NAMA.”

The association urged members of the National Assembly and other stakeholders to approach the planned review of the Ticket Sales Charge sharing formula from the standpoint of national interest rather than institutional rivalry.

According to NAAE, the goal should be to establish a stronger, safer and more resilient aviation sector capable of supporting Nigeria’s ambition of becoming Africa’s leading aviation hub.

The call comes amid growing discussions within the aviation industry over the adequacy of funding available to key agencies responsible for safety regulation, air navigation services and infrastructure development, with stakeholders increasingly advocating reforms that align revenue allocation with present-day operational realities.