FAAN, three states owe NAMA N25bn amid funding concerns

The Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) faces significant financial strain as it is owed over N25 billion by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and three state governments, a situation that industry stakeholders warn could jeopardize the agency's operations.

Internal records reveal that FAAN is the largest debtor, with NAMA's Credit Control Records showing an outstanding N23.938 billion as of April 30, 2026. Ogun State owes N465.146 million, Taraba State N309.345 million, and Bauchi State N902.874 million, bringing the total debt from these entities to N25.615 billion.

These debts contribute to a larger cumulative debt exceeding N90 billion owed to NAMA by a mix of foreign and domestic airlines, government agencies, state governments, and other organizations. Domestic airlines are reportedly the most challenging debtors to recover payments from.

NAMA is crucial for ensuring safe air navigation within Nigeria's airspace, providing air traffic control, maintaining navigation equipment, and coordinating search and rescue operations. The agency also designs flight routes and develops airspace infrastructure. Its statutory revenue is also used to remit funds to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) for essential weather services.

Recent threats of industrial action by NiMet workers over alleged non-remittance of statutory charges by NAMA highlight the cascading effect of NAMA's debt burden. Aviation unions argue that NAMA cannot remit funds it has not received, creating a potential disruption to critical weather briefing services relied upon by pilots.