Aviation funding dispute deepens as Reps intervene

A dispute among Nigerian aviation unions has intensified over a proposed change to the sharing formula for the five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC). The House of Representatives has backed efforts to bolster the aviation sector's funding, while the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) campaigns for a 56 percent allocation from the statutory pool, a move opposed by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and its union.

The proposed legislation aims to revise the TSC sharing formula, automate remittances to beneficiary agencies, harmonize conflicting legal provisions, and strengthen institutional financing across the aviation sector. However, a significant rift emerged within the unions when the NCAA chapter of the National Association of Air Traffic Engineers publicly distanced itself from the national leadership's support for altering the TSC sharing formula.

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The position presented in the publication does not represent the views of the NCAA Chapter of NAAE.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Agunloye Fredrick, the NCAA chapter asserted that the national leadership's position did not reflect its members' views and lacked proper consultation. "The position presented in the publication does not represent the views of the NCAA Chapter of NAAE," the communiqué read. "As a national association with members spread across various aviation agencies, it is expected that matters of such national importance receive broad consultation before any public position is adopted."

The chapter emphasized that the TSC is the financial backbone of aviation agencies, with each playing a distinct role in ensuring the safety and efficiency of Nigeria's aviation system. Fredrick explained that the NCAA, as the country's economic and safety regulator, relies heavily on its statutory share to fund essential activities such as airline and airport certification, safety surveillance, economic regulation, and compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization standards. These funds also enable Nigeria to meet its financial obligations to international aviation bodies like ICAO and the African Civil Aviation Commission.

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As a national association with members spread across various aviation agencies, it is expected that matters of such national importance receive broad consultation before any public position is adopted.