The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has disputed claims that it wasted billions of naira on Category III Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) at airports in Lagos and Abuja, saying the approved contract for the two installations was ₦1.19 billion.
NAMA said the contract for the supply and installation of CAT III-capable ILS and Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was valued at ₦1,188,139,913.90.
In a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Abdullahi Musa, the agency said the contract was awarded to Alolis Geo-Science Nigeria Limited, representing Leonardo SPA, formerly Selex, after securing the required approvals from the Bureau of Public Procurement and the Federal Executive Council.
NAMA said the ₦7.58 billion figure cited in a report did not represent the contract value or expenditure on the two airports. According to the agency, the figure originated from a 2019 newspaper estimate that assumed a cost of about $3 million per runway and applied it across seven proposed airport locations.
It said there was no contract, payment certificate, appropriation, audit finding or other official record showing that either ₦7.58 billion or its reported present-day equivalent of ₦30.02 billion was awarded or paid for the Lagos and Abuja installations.
The agency also rejected the suggestion that the project involved the installation of only an ILS antenna. It explained that an ILS consists of a localiser, which provides lateral guidance, and a glide path, which provides vertical guidance, making the localiser an integral component of the system.
NAMA stressed, however, that installing CAT III-capable ground equipment does not by itself make an airport capable of conducting CAT III operations. Such operations require a wider system that includes a calibrated and serviceable ILS, approved approach procedures, appropriate runway and approach lighting, runway visual-range reporting, reliable primary and standby power, protected ILS critical areas, low-visibility procedures and CAT III-compliant aircraft, operators and flight crews.
The agency said meteorological support and other complementary infrastructure are also required, making CAT III a coordinated responsibility involving several aviation stakeholders rather than a function of NAMA alone.
NAMA said the experience with the Lagos installation demonstrated why the wider system is important. Following installation on Runway 18R, pilots reportedly raised concerns about the equipment’s performance, including instances in which it could provide misleading guidance or shut down.
The agency said international airlines subsequently resorted to Runway 18L, while the lighting infrastructure required for CAT III operations was unavailable. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), along with air traffic controllers, NAMA’s Safety Management System unit, international airlines and air traffic engineers, also raised concerns about the integrity of the system.
Following consultations with relevant stakeholders and approval from the supervising ministry, NAMA replaced the equipment with CAT II capability pending the availability of the complementary facilities required for CAT III operations.
It said the Abuja installation was similarly downgraded to CAT II because the complete infrastructure and operational ecosystem required for CAT III were not in place.
NAMA maintained that the decision was taken as a safety measure and did not amount to an admission that the original procurement was worthless.
The agency said the Lagos Runway 18R and Abuja Runway 22 facilities were commissioned, certified and promulgated for operations in February 2020 after realignment, recalibration and validation, contradicting claims that the systems had never worked.
NAMA acknowledged that integrity and serviceability problems subsequently emerged, particularly with the Lagos installation, eventually making continued reliance on the equipment unacceptable.
It also cited concerns around fleet commonality, training, spare parts and lifecycle support, noting that its maintenance environment had greater familiarity with Thales and Indra systems.
“A safety-critical navigational aid that cannot consistently demonstrate the required integrity must be downgraded, withdrawn or replaced. That is safety management, not waste,” the agency said.
NAMA also clarified the cost and scope of the second phase of the ILS programme. It said the phase covered the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Port Harcourt International Airport and Katsina Airport, rather than Maiduguri and Sokoto as reported.
The initial approved sum for the second phase was ₦1,824,643,438.33, while an additional ₦546,109,336.33 brought the total approved value to ₦2,370,752,774.66. Implementation was subsequently affected by funding constraints and concerns about repeating the reliability and lifecycle-support challenges experienced during the first phase.
The agency further rejected allegations that the programme was used to divert public funds, saying no audit finding, judicial ruling or procurement investigation had been cited to substantiate the claim.
NAMA said it remained committed to accountability and responsible management of public resources, but argued that estimates should not be presented as actual expenditure and safety-related decisions should not be characterised as waste without reference to technical and operational evidence.
The agency maintained that where safety-critical equipment fails to demonstrate the required integrity, withdrawing, downgrading or replacing it is part of responsible airspace management.
It said its priority remained the safety and efficiency of Nigerian airspace and the protection of passengers and other airspace users.
