The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), NAMA Branch, has pledged to support efforts by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to secure improved revenue allocation from the Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and Aviation Height Clearance to strengthen its operational capacity.

The newly inaugurated executive of the union also pledged to promote industrial harmony, protect workers’ welfare and sustain constructive engagement with management to improve the agency’s performance.

The commitments were made by the new branch chairman, Comrade Ekip Ekip Eso, during the inauguration of the executive at NAMA headquarters annex in Lagos.

In a statement signed by NAMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Dr Abdullahi Musa, Eso said the new leadership would pursue responsible unionism, accountability and policies that promote members’ welfare and the development of Nigeria’s aviation industry.

He said adequate and sustainable funding was essential for NAMA to maintain critical air navigation infrastructure, strengthen operational capacity and discharge its statutory responsibility of managing Nigeria’s airspace.

According to him, the union would pursue constructive advocacy and engage relevant government authorities and industry stakeholders, alongside sister unions, to support the agency’s position on improved revenue allocation.

Eso said the new executive recognised the responsibility entrusted to it and would discharge its mandate with dedication, fairness and accountability.

He also commended members and stakeholders who supported the branch during its delegate conference in Jos, particularly the ATSSSAN National President, Comrade John Ogbe, for promoting dialogue and reconciliation that helped restore peace and mutual understanding within the union.

The chairman urged members to sustain the renewed unity in the association, noting that collective progress required mutual respect, cooperation and commitment to common objectives.

On workers’ welfare, he pledged that the executive would prioritise timely payment of entitlements, equitable career advancement, professional training, safe working conditions and sustained engagement with management.

He also called on NAMA management to intensify efforts towards securing the urgent approval and implementation of the agency’s new Conditions of Service, describing the document as important to addressing workers’ welfare and employment-related concerns.

The new executive said it would maintain a cooperative relationship with management while ensuring that the legitimate interests of members remained adequately protected.

Nigeria’s representation in international aviation leadership has received a boost with the re-election of Ahmad Abba, Director of Aerodrome and Airspace Standards at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), as Executive Vice President for Africa and the Middle East of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA).

Abba secured another three-year term covering 2027 to 2029 at the federation’s 37th Africa and Middle East Regional Meeting held in Amman, Jordan, from October 26 to 30, 2026.

The re-election marks his second consecutive mandate in the regional leadership position, having first been elected in 2024. It also underscores the continued confidence of IFATCA member associations in his leadership and contributions to the advancement of air traffic control across Africa and the Middle East.

In the renewed position, Abba will coordinate with air traffic controllers’ associations, aviation authorities, international organisations and industry stakeholders to strengthen regional collaboration and promote improvements in air navigation safety and efficiency.

His mandate will also focus on supporting the development of aviation manpower, strengthening the professional capacity of air traffic controllers and advancing their welfare and career development.

Reacting to his re-election, Abba thanked the member associations for their renewed confidence, pledging to sustain efforts towards strengthening the federation and supporting air traffic controllers across the region.

He said he remained committed to working with member associations and regional partners to build a safer, more resilient and sustainable aviation system.

Abba is a licensed air traffic controller with over 25 years of aviation experience. He is an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)-certified instructor and has served in several operational, safety, search and rescue, and regulatory capacities.

At the NCAA, he heads the Directorate of Aerodrome and Airspace Standards, where he is responsible for regulatory oversight of the areas and contributes to the development of Nigeria’s civil aviation sector.

His re-election places him in a position to continue representing the interests of African and Middle Eastern air traffic controllers in international aviation engagements while further strengthening Nigeria’s participation in global aviation leadership.

SAPTCO Communication Limited has suspended its 2026 Annual Lecture, earlier scheduled for November 5 in Lagos, with a new date to be announced later.

The lecture was expected to bring together aviation stakeholders to examine the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), an African Union initiative aimed at liberalising air transport and improving connectivity across the continent.

The Managing Consultant of SAPTCO, Mr. Sam Adurogboye, announced the postponement, noting that the earlier arrangements for the programme would remain unchanged.

The lecture was scheduled to hold at 11 a.m. at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Training Suite, Annex, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

A former Secretary-General of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), Ms. Iyabo O. Sosina, was billed to deliver the lecture, drawing on her experience with the development and launch of SAATM during her tenure at the continental aviation body.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, was expected to attend as Special Guest of Honour, while the Director-General of the NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, was named Guest of Honour.

Other expected participants included representatives of airlines, aviation agencies, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and aviation media practitioners.

Former NCAA Director-General, Dr. Harold Demuren, who delivered the inaugural SAPTCO Lecture last year, was also expected to attend as Father of the Day.

According to Adurogboye, the lecture was designed to renew attention to the objectives of SAATM, including the open-skies policy, traffic rights and the implementation of the 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision, which provides a framework for liberalising air transport services in Africa.

Launched in January 2018 by the African Union, SAATM seeks to establish a unified African civil aviation market by removing restrictions on air services between participating countries.

The initiative is also intended to improve intra-African travel and trade, reduce air transport costs and strengthen connectivity in support of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Adurogboye expressed concern that the initiative had yet to achieve its full objectives several years after its launch, stressing that effective implementation could improve connectivity, stimulate economic growth and reduce operational costs across the continent.

SAPTCO said a new date for the annual lecture would be announced in due course, while the previously announced programme arrangements would remain in place.