Nigeria: Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Threaten Strike Over Failing Equipment

What the report says

Nigeria’s air traffic controllers are warning of possible industrial action over what they describe as deteriorating communication and surveillance equipment used to manage the country’s airspace. The report, carried by Premium Times and distributed by AllAfrica, says the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) believes the government has announced procurement approvals but has not yet delivered working systems to controllers.

NATCA president Edino Amos raised the issue at the association’s 55th annual general meeting in Abuja on Tuesday. He said 2026 has been especially difficult for controllers and that the lack of meaningful upgrades continues to affect operations. According to the report, the union has approached several authorities, including the aviation ministry, the National Counter Terrorism Centre, the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, but says those talks have not produced the needed improvements.

The association argues that air navigation systems are critical to aviation safety and national security and should not be delayed by funding uncertainty or slow procurement. It said the failure to modernize equipment could worsen operational strain, create inefficiencies and increase risks in a sector responsible for coordinating aircraft movements and maintaining safe separation between flights.

The warning matters because Nigeria’s airspace depends on reliable surveillance and communication infrastructure. In general terms, air traffic controller disputes can have wider effects on flight schedules and confidence in aviation oversight, although the report does not say a strike has begun or that any disruption has already occurred.