The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has suspended its proposed 800% rise in aircraft navigational charges, which was scheduled to take effect on September 1, 2024.
Only a few days had passed since the hike was first announced when this decision was made.
On Monday, NAMA’s official X (formerly Twitter) account announced the suspension.
The primary cause of the suspension, according to the statement, was Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
In addition, NAMA announced that more talks will be held to address any issues with the suggested hike in navigational costs.
“Following the intervention of Festus Keyamo, NAMA has suspended the planned increase in navigational charges, which was set to take effect on September 1st due to the current economic situation. Further consultations will be conducted to address all concerns,” NAMA said on X.
The aviation community is happy about this move and looks forward to a more equitable navigational fee structure in the future.
What to note
The proposed 800% rise in aircraft navigation fees and penalties was first revealed by Mr. Umar Farouk, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), at the 28th League of Aviation and Airport Correspondents (LAAC) Conference, which was held on Friday in Lagos.
Farouk clarified that the rates had not been evaluated since 2008, which made the proposed increase essential. It is scheduled to take effect on September 1, 2024.
He underlined that the increase was in line with the nation’s current economic circumstances, which had changed significantly over the last 16 years.
Farouk suggested increasing the per-flight en-route and terminal navigation fees from N2,000 and N6,000 to N18,000 and N104,000, respectively.
In order to help the agency handle the rising expenses of diesel and other logistics, he also revealed that the extension of service hours would be reconsidered, with the possibility of going from N50,000 to N450,000 for each extension.
However, airline operators and the general flying public were among the aviation stakeholders who found the proposed rise objectionable.
They conveyed grave worries regarding the considerable increase in both operating expenses and airfares. Stakeholders expressed concern that this hike will push up the price of flying even further, particularly at a time when many people in the nation are already struggling financially.
NAMA has now halted the planned rise in airplane navigation fees in response to the criticism. The aviation community views this action as a step in the right direction toward striking a balance between the financial well-being of pilots and the operational effectiveness of the aviation industry.
