By Mercy Odeh (Content Editor)

ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has rejected a report alleging that it wasted ₦7.58 billion on Category III Instrument Landing Systems (CAT III ILS) for Lagos and Abuja airports, saying the actual approved contract for the equipment was ₦1.188 billion.

NAMA, in a rejoinder signed by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Dr Abdullahi Musa, described the report as containing “fundamental factual inaccuracies, technical misconceptions and allegations unsupported by procurement and operational records.”

According to the agency, the approved contract for the supply and installation of CAT III-capable Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) and Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) for Lagos and Abuja was ₦1,188,139,913.90.

It said the contract was awarded to Alolis Geo-Science Nigeria Ltd., representing Leonardo SPA, formerly Selex, with approvals from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

NAMA said the ₦7.58 billion figure cited in the report originated from a 2019 newspaper estimate, which assumed a cost of about $3 million per runway and extrapolated it to seven proposed airport locations.

The agency stressed that the figure was neither the approved contract sum for the Lagos and Abuja installations nor evidence of expenditure by NAMA.

It also dismissed the subsequent conversion of the alleged ₦7.58 billion expenditure to ₦30.02 billion in current value, saying the report cited no contract, payment certificate, appropriation, audit finding or other official record establishing that either amount was awarded or paid for the installations.

On the technical aspects of the project, NAMA said the procurement was for CAT III-capable ILS/DME ground equipment and not merely an ILS antenna.

It explained that an ILS comprises a localizer for lateral guidance and a glide path for vertical guidance, making the localizer an integral part of the system.

The agency, however, acknowledged that the installation of CAT III-capable equipment alone does not make an airport operationally CAT III.

It said CAT III operations require an integrated system involving a calibrated and serviceable ILS, approved instrument approach procedures, appropriate runway and approach lighting, runway visual-range reporting, reliable power supply, protected ILS critical areas, low-visibility procedures and CAT III-compliant aircraft, operators and flight crews.

NAMA noted that the various components fall under different aviation agencies and stakeholders, with FAAN responsible for airfield ground lighting and airport power at its airports, NAMA providing navigation and air traffic services infrastructure, and the NCAA regulating and approving operations.

It said meteorological services and aircraft and crew capabilities were also essential to CAT III operations.

On the Lagos Runway 18R installation, NAMA said operational problems were subsequently reported, including instances where the equipment allegedly took aircraft off course during final approach or went off altogether.

It said international airlines consequently resorted to Runway 18L, while the lighting facilities required for CAT III operations were unavailable.

The agency said it subsequently engaged relevant stakeholders and, following consultation and approval by the supervising ministry, replaced the equipment with CAT II capability pending provision of the complementary facilities required for CAT III operations.

NAMA maintained that its operational records showed the Lagos Runway 18R and Abuja Runway 22 facilities were commissioned, certified and promulgated for operation in February 2020 following realignment, recalibration and validation.

It therefore rejected the claim that the systems “never worked for one day.”

The agency acknowledged that subsequent integrity and serviceability problems occurred, particularly in Lagos, saying continued reliance on the installation eventually became unacceptable.

It added that the Selex platform also raised concerns over fleet commonality, training, spares and lifecycle support.

NAMA said downgrading, withdrawing or replacing safety-critical navigation equipment when its integrity becomes questionable constituted safety management rather than waste.

The agency also clarified that the second phase of the ILS programme covered Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Port Harcourt International Airport and Katsina Airport, rather than Maiduguri and Sokoto as reported.

It said the phase had an initial approved sum of ₦1.824 billion, while an augmentation of ₦546.1 million brought the total approved project value to ₦2.371 billion.

NAMA said implementation was affected by funding constraints and concerns over reliability, commissioning, spares and lifecycle support.

On allegations that the project was used to “corner” public funds, the agency said no audit finding, judicial decision, procurement investigation or competent determination had been cited to establish wrongdoing.

It urged responsible journalism to distinguish between estimates and contract sums, procurement and operational performance, and safety interventions and waste.

NAMA said it remained committed to transparency and accountability, stressing that it would not compromise aviation safety merely to preserve an investment whose operational integrity had become questionable.