Airport Reporters

NATCA urges Fed.Govt to fix challenges in manpower development  ......Mulls control of workflow nationwide  The Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATCA) has raised serious concerns about the deteriorating welfare, working conditions, manpower levels, and career progression among its members.  The association, according to a statement by its President , Comrade Amos Edino and   General Secretary, Fahad Muhammed Umar, said the situation has reached a point where the safety of personnel, the stability of operations, and the protection of the nation’s airspace can no longer be taken for granted. NATCA explained that its concerns are not driven by convenience or emotion, but by the reality of a safety-critical profession being stretched beyond acceptable limits. The association said controllers are currently operating under sustained operational deficiencies, inadequate working tools, unresolved welfare issues, and severe psychological strain, all of ...

  NIGAV holds 15th award, ministerial dinner  ....Pushes for industry rebirth  The Nigeria Aviation (NIGAV) Award Committee  has  concluded plans  to hold the 15th Nigeria Aviation Awards and Ministerial Dinner , scheduled for  April  17, 2026. According to a statement issued by its coordinator, Mr Fortune Idi, the event is billed to commence   at 2 PM at the NGAV Centre, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos. According to him, in the past 15 years, the NIGAV Award has provided a consistent platform for promoting best practices, industry harmony, healthy competition, and growth within Nigeria's aviation sector. The annual event, he said will  feature the Aviation Yearly Report, the crowning of the King and Queen of the Air, a charity fundraiser for the aviation community, and awards recognising outstanding performers across all levels of aviation excellence. Idi said  Nigeria's aviation excellence offers  merit and  recognition as well ...

 Gateway Air begins flights to  Abuja, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Jos, Kano  As part of its commitment to enhancing connectivity and providing convenient travel options, Ogun State-owned airline, Gateway Air, has announced new flight operations covering major cities across Nigeria. This was disclosed in a statement issued at the weekend by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Hon. Kayode Akinmade. According to the statement, Gateway Air will commence scheduled flight operations on the following routes beginning Monday, 13th April 2026: - Iperu to Abuja   - Abuja to Port Harcourt   - Abuja to Calabar   - Abuja to Jos   - Iperu to Kano   The airline noted that the one-way flights will operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, offering passengers reliable and convenient travel options. Economy fares are as low as ₦100,000. The development marks a significant step in improving reg...

  Airport police arrests man over theft of N15m  equipment  The Airport Police Command has arrested a suspect involved in the stealing of high-value equipment from his former place of employment, Vovida Communications Limited, an IT solutions company.  Police Public Relations Officer, Airport Police Command, Mohammed Adeola disclosed this in a statement. The suspect, one George Ikpe aged 28, was apprehended on April 3, 2026 by operatives of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Police Division following diligent intelligence gathering and investigation. Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect gained unauthorized access to the company’s premises, located along the Murtala Muhammed International Airport axis, and made away with critical equipment.  A thorough review of the company’s CCTV footage clearly captured the suspect’s movements and aided in confirming his identity. Items stolen include two custom-made Vovida Central Processing Units (CPUs...

  Nigeria airspace risks  losing surveillance service over obsolete TRACON The Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar has reiterated that the country is at the risk of losing its airspace surveillance service due to the obsolete state of the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) equipment because of the difficulties in getting spare parts as the technology is outdated. Engr. Farouk explained that the life span of such important high-tech equipment is usually ten years but said since 2014 the TRACON equipment began to go out of fashion as countries around the world began to migrate to more sophisticated and advanced technology. He emphasised that providing air navigation services in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) requirements might be a challenge if urgent steps are not immediately taken to upgrade the TRACON. Recall the TRACON project, a crucial, multibillion-naira project was commissioned ...

  FAAN chief hails aviation growth as Lagos Airport records Africa’s fastest  traffic surge The curtain fell Wednesday on the ACI Africa Regional Conference & Exhibition in Luanda, with the Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, delivering a stirring closing address that celebrated Africa’s aviation rebound and issued a formal invitation for the continent to gather next in Abuja. Over the past several days, delegates from across Africa convened under the theme “Stronger Airports, Stronger Africa.” In her remarks, Mrs Kuku emphasised that airports are far more than transit points—they are strategic assets driving trade, tourism, employment, and economic integration. “The future of African aviation will depend not only on infrastructure, but also on partnership, innovation, resilience, and the courage to think long term,” she told the audience, thanking the Government and people of Angola, the airport au...

 NDLEA EDO COMMAND SMASHES MAJOR DRUG WAREHOUSE ..... SEIZES 1,378KG OF CANNABIS Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Edo State Command, have uncovered and dismantled a major illicit warehouse, arresting one suspected member of the drug cartel and confiscating a massive consignment of cannabis sativa. The operation, which underscores the Agency's unwavering commitment to drug supply suppression, was executed based on credible intelligence. A team of NDLEA officers raided an illegal warehouse located in the Igbanke community, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State. This led to the evacuation of one hundred and twenty-five (125) bags of dried weeds suspected to be skunk cannabis, with a total weight of one thousand, three hundred and seventy-eight kilograms (1,378kg). A 37-year-old drug suspect, Roland Owie, a native of Igbanke community in Edo State, was arrested in connection with the seizure. Speaking on the significance of the operation, the Edo ...