The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) said it has increased its revenue generation from the current level of about N12 billion per year to N18bn next year due to the functioning of the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria Airspace (TRACON) commissioned in 2010.
The Managing Director of NAMA Mr? Nnamdi Udoh, who disclosed this in Lagos during a Breakfast Meeting with Pilots and other stakeholders in the industry organised to get a first hand information on the functionality of the navigation system from the end users said the Radar System has greatly improved the agency’s ability to identify and track aircraft that fly the nation’s airspace thereby making it possible to bill them.
He said this ability will greatly improve the revenue base of the agency, predicting that the agency expects to realise about N18 billion next year from the navigation services it renders.
Group Captain Obakpolor (rtd.) who was at the event urged the Nigeria Air Force to key into the Radar system of NAMA as a means to adequately defend the country in the case of any aggression from unfriendly aircraft.
Obakpolor noted that a situation whereby intruders-either civil or military- trespass the country’s airspace without being checkmated was not in the interest of Nigeria.
?He said it was necessary for the military, especially the Nigeria Air force to key into the current radar system of NAMA since the TRACON project was capable of tracking any aircraft within the country’s airspace and neighbouring countries.
He also commended the Management of NAMA for the completion of the TRACON project and the high level of its present service provision as against what was on ground a few years ago.
?The breakfast meeting was organised to intimate pilots and other stakeholders on the service provision capability of the agency and also hear from the end users, especially pilots on areas of shortcomings so that the agency could further improve on its Air Navigation Service Provision.