The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has said the Category III Instrument Landing System (CAT III ILS) installed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, was removed because of persistent failures that raised safety concerns.

The agency’s Director of Safety, Electronic and Engineering Services (DSEES), Teresa Ihenachor, who disclosed this in Lagos, said NAMA did not abandon the equipment as alleged, stressing that its removal was a safety-driven decision after repeated attempts to restore its reliability failed.

Ihenachor spoke on the sidelines of the 30th Annual Conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) in Lagos.

She said the Lagos CAT III ILS had a history of unserviceability before she assumed office, adding that she personally supervised more than seven repairs of the system within a short period, but the equipment continued to develop faults.

“We did not abandon anything. It was removed for safety,” Ihenachor said.

According to her, the equipment was highly sensitive to its operating environment and continued to produce unreliable performance even after it had been downgraded from CAT III to CAT II.

She explained that the problem was not simply the ILS itself but the absence of the supporting infrastructure and environmental conditions required for CAT III operations in Nigeria.

Ihenachor specifically pointed to the condition of airfield lighting at the Lagos airport, which she said remained at CAT I, making the deployment of a CAT III ILS incompatible with the existing infrastructure.

“Our airfield lighting is still on CAT I. Most of our equipment are downgraded to CAT II. So, having CAT III with the airfield lighting at CAT I is very difficult,” she said.

She added that even after the Lagos system was downgraded to CAT II, it failed to operate optimally, forcing the agency to consider the safety implications of keeping an unreliable navigational aid at one of the country’s busiest airports.

Ihenachor said the frequent failures became a concern because an ILS is expected to provide reliable guidance to aircraft, particularly during poor visibility and other conditions requiring precision approach support.

She said NAMA consequently obtained permission from the supervising ministry to remove the problematic equipment and install a new CAT II ILS that was available for another station.

“So, I wrote, I took permission from them because of the safety nature. So, I installed a brand new ILS, this NORMARC CAT II which is functioning up to now,” she said.

The DSEES said the replacement CAT II system has continued to function reliably, with the agency addressing the power-related challenges through the use of a solar power system.

She maintained that the CAT III equipment had not been rendered useless, explaining that the systems could still be deployed at other airports where their operational requirements could be met.

According to her, the CAT III system at Abuja was also downgraded to CAT II because of the same limitations, while plans were being considered to redeploy some of the equipment to other airports.

“The one in Abuja, it’s not functioning, but it’s downgraded. And you imagine,” she said, adding that equipment could be deployed to locations such as Calabar where there is a need for ILS.

Ihenachor stressed that CAT III operations require more than the installation of the ILS equipment, noting that supporting facilities such as appropriate airfield lighting, stable power supply and other associated technical requirements must be available.

She said NAMA had addressed the power challenge but noted that airfield lighting was under the responsibility of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

“The bottom line is CAT III cannot function in Nigeria due to non-compliance with the environmental requirements. Not only environmental, there’s an associated requirement that it needs. Like I told you, airfield lighting,” she said.

The NAMA director advised that the supporting infrastructure should be upgraded before the deployment of CAT III ILS equipment, arguing that acquiring sophisticated equipment without first adapting the airport environment to its requirements could undermine its effectiveness.

She said the experience with the Lagos installation demonstrated the importance of matching navigational equipment with the infrastructure and environmental conditions of the airport where it would be deployed.

Ihenachor also defended NAMA’s response to the fire incident that affected the airport’s control tower facilities earlier in the year, saying the agency quickly deployed a mobile control tower and adapted it to meet its operational requirements.

She said NAMA installed additional facilities in the mobile tower because the equipment, as supplied, did not contain everything required for its operations.

According to her, the agency later identified a power shortfall caused by the additional equipment it had installed and subsequently upgraded the power capacity.

She said the agency also subjected the facility to a safety assessment before air traffic controllers were allowed to return to the tower.

Ihenachor said the agency had additionally deployed mobile radio transceiver equipment as a safety backup, allowing air traffic controllers to communicate with and control aircraft when necessary.

She stressed that safety considerations remained central to NAMA’s decisions on navigational and air traffic management equipment.

The clarification comes amid public questions over the status of the CAT III ILS systems acquired for Lagos and Abuja. NAMA has separately disputed reports that the systems cost ₦7.58 billion, stating that the approved contract for the supply and installation of CAT III-capable ILS and Distance Measuring Equipment for the two airports was ₦1.188 billion.

The Director of Safety Electronics and Engineering Services at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Engr. Terese Ihenachor, has received the Outstanding Public Service Award from the Lagos Chapter of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN).

Ihenachor was honoured at the maiden APWEN Lagos Engineering Summit 2026 for her contributions to engineering excellence, the empowerment of women engineers and sustainable professional development.

The award recognises her leadership in the aviation sector, particularly her role in strengthening the maintenance, modernisation and reliability of critical Communications, Navigation and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) infrastructure across Nigeria.

Ihenachor made history in December 2023 when she became NAMA’s first female substantive Director of Safety Electronics and Engineering Services.

Since assuming the position, she has provided strategic direction for the maintenance and upgrade of safety-critical systems supporting air navigation and flight operations across the country.

A statement signed by NAMA’s Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Dr. Abdullahi Musa, said the directorate had recorded significant progress under Ihenachor’s leadership in the upgrade and deployment of critical communication, navigation and surveillance facilities.

The agency said she had also strengthened maintenance regimes for safety-critical systems, improved technical planning and operational coordination, and prioritised the timely calibration of navigational aids to ensure their accuracy, integrity and compliance with applicable international standards.

One of the major demonstrations of her technical leadership was the recent deployment of a Mobile Control Tower at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, following a fire incident that affected critical air-ground communication infrastructure at the old terminal.

The swift deployment helped ensure continuity of safe air navigation services at Nigeria’s busiest aviation hub.

Under Ihenachor’s technical supervision, the mobile facility was tested and adapted to Nigeria’s operational requirements through local innovations, including a smart flight-strip system and seamless connectivity with NAMA’s Centrex and Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria systems.

NAMA said arrangements had also commenced for the deployment of another mobile control tower to support Runway 18R.

Ihenachor joined the civil aviation sector in 1994 and rose through various technical and managerial positions, including General Manager, Workshop, Planning and Logistics, before her appointment as director.

Beyond her professional responsibilities, she has been involved in initiatives aimed at increasing female participation in engineering and other science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.

She is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and Nigerian Institute of Management.

She is also a former Secretary and Treasurer of APWEN and founded the Girl-Child Engineer Initiative to promote greater participation of girls and women in engineering.

According to APWEN, the award was part of efforts to celebrate women whose leadership is contributing to the advancement of engineering, innovation and efficiency in public service.

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has raised the alarm over a recruitment scam involving fake appointment and employment letters issued to unsuspecting job seekers in the name of the agency.

NAMA said it is not currently recruiting, warning that individuals, groups or organisations claiming to facilitate employment or issue appointment letters on its behalf have no approval or authorisation from the agency.

The warning was contained in a statement signed by NAMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Dr Abdullahi Musa, who said the agency views the development with serious concern.

According to NAMA, the fraudulent activities are targeted at innocent job seekers and could expose victims to financial losses and the theft or misuse of sensitive personal information.

The agency consequently advised members of the public not to pay money or provide sensitive personal details to anyone claiming to have secured employment for them with NAMA.

It urged prospective applicants to independently verify any recruitment announcement, employment communication or appointment letter allegedly issued by the agency through its recognised official channels before responding.

NAMA also advised the public to disregard unofficial recruitment messages circulated through social media and other channels, particularly communications from intermediaries claiming to have access to employment opportunities within the agency.

The agency stressed that it does not authorise individuals or third parties to solicit money or any other consideration in exchange for employment.

It called on members of the public to report suspected cases of impersonation and fraudulent representation to the appropriate authorities.

NAMA also disclaimed responsibility for any financial loss or other consequences suffered by persons who transact with fraudsters or unauthorised individuals falsely claiming to represent the agency.

The agency reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and institutional integrity, while assuring the public of its continued efforts to protect its corporate identity and prevent fraudulent activities carried out in its name.