The controversy over the sharing formula for the Ticket Sales Charge in the aviation sector has taken several turns, with stakeholders divided over whether the solution lies in allocating a larger share to safety agencies or in first subjecting their funding needs to an independent assessment of efficiency and infrastructure.This was as our correspondent gathered the thoughts of concerned industry experts, who have expressed concern over the growing tension in the industry resulting from the TSC sharing formula.While some stakeholders argue that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency requires a larger share of the aviation levy to keep critical navigation and air traffic control infrastructure operational, others caution that increased funding without demonstrated efficiency could amount to throwing more money at an underperforming system.Experts say across agency lines, the government should ensure discreet investigations into the spending of the agencies.Former Group Captain at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, John Ojikutu (rtd.), said NAMA’s responsibilities and operating costs justified a review of its share of the TSC, arguing that the agency provides essential services that underpin the safety of virtually every flight operating through Nigerian airspace.According to him, NAMA provides air traffic and navigational services to commercial airlines, private and government aircraft, diplomatic flights and military traffic.Ojikutu added that NAMA’s responsibilities include air traffic control, flight information, aeronautical information, emergency coordination, search and rescue coordination and en-route navigation services.He further said the agency also manages Nigeria’s territorial airspace and ensures safe separation of aircraft from departure through their routes and arrival at destination, including flights transiting Nigerian airspace.Ojikutu noted that the system depends on a network of sophisticated equipment, including surveillance radars, Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range, Distance Measuring Equipment, Instrument Landing Systems, and VHF and HF communication systems.“These are critical safety equipment, and they cannot be allowed to operate beyond their maintenance and calibration limits,” he argued.According to him, the equipment and services are supported by more than 3,000 personnel, including over 800 air traffic controllers and more than 500 engineers and technologists, alongside ICT, administrative, finance and other support staff.He stressed that personnel and equipment require regular expenditure, with controllers and engineers undergoing mandatory recurrent training and medical checks, while navigational equipment is subjected to scheduled maintenance and calibration.Related NewsReps push aviation law overhaul as NCAA earns N1.13tnMalaysia airlines to test pilots after Indonesia drug arrestAviation funding dispute deepens as Reps intervene“Some of these pieces of equipment, like the ILS, require periodic maintenance and calibration every six months, while VORs, DMEs and radars have mandatory maintenance every 12 months,” he said.Ojikutu argued that NAMA’s earnings from charges on airlines and private operators were insufficient to meet the cost of maintaining the extensive safety infrastructure.He also accused domestic airlines of failing to fully meet their financial obligations for services provided by the agency, saying this had compounded NAMA’s funding challenges.Against this backdrop, he called for an increase in NAMA’s share of the TSC/CSC/CFC proceeds from 23 per cent to 40 per cent. “A review upward of the NAMA shares in the TSC/CSC/CFC earnings from 23 per cent to 40 per cent is very necessary,” Ojikutu said.He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. This was as our correspondent gathered the thoughts of concerned industry experts, who have expressed concern over the growing tension in the industry resulting from the TSC sharing formula.While some stakeholders argue that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency requires a larger share of the aviation levy to keep critical navigation and air traffic control infrastructure operational, others caution that increased funding without demonstrated efficiency could amount to throwing more money at an underperforming system.Experts say across agency lines, the government should ensure discreet investigations into the spending of the agencies.Former Group Captain at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, John Ojikutu (rtd.), said NAMA’s responsibilities and operating costs justified a review of its share of the TSC, arguing that the agency provides essential services that underpin the safety of virtually every flight operating through Nigerian airspace.According to him, NAMA provides air traffic and navigational services to commercial airlines, private and government aircraft, diplomatic flights and military traffic.Ojikutu added that NAMA’s responsibilities include air traffic control, flight information, aeronautical information, emergency coordination, search and rescue coordination and en-route navigation services.He further said the agency also manages Nigeria’s territorial airspace and ensures safe separation of aircraft from departure through their routes and arrival at destination, including flights transiting Nigerian airspace.Ojikutu noted that the system depends on a network of sophisticated equipment, including surveillance radars, Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range, Distance Measuring Equipment, Instrument Landing Systems, and VHF and HF communication systems.“These are critical safety equipment, and they cannot be allowed to operate beyond their maintenance and calibration limits,” he argued.According to him, the equipment and services are supported by more than 3,000 personnel, including over 800 air traffic controllers and more than 500 engineers and technologists, alongside ICT, administrative, finance and other support staff.He stressed that personnel and equipment require regular expenditure, with controllers and engineers undergoing mandatory recurrent training and medical checks, while navigational equipment is subjected to scheduled maintenance and calibration.Related NewsReps push aviation law overhaul as NCAA earns N1.13tnMalaysia airlines to test pilots after Indonesia drug arrestAviation funding dispute deepens as Reps intervene“Some of these pieces of equipment, like the ILS, require periodic maintenance and calibration every six months, while VORs, DMEs and radars have mandatory maintenance every 12 months,” he said.Ojikutu argued that NAMA’s earnings from charges on airlines and private operators were insufficient to meet the cost of maintaining the extensive safety infrastructure.He also accused domestic airlines of failing to fully meet their financial obligations for services provided by the agency, saying this had compounded NAMA’s funding challenges.Against this backdrop, he called for an increase in NAMA’s share of the TSC/CSC/CFC proceeds from 23 per cent to 40 per cent. “A review upward of the NAMA shares in the TSC/CSC/CFC earnings from 23 per cent to 40 per cent is very necessary,” Ojikutu said.He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. While some stakeholders argue that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency requires a larger share of the aviation levy to keep critical navigation and air traffic control infrastructure operational, others caution that increased funding without demonstrated efficiency could amount to throwing more money at an underperforming system.Experts say across agency lines, the government should ensure discreet investigations into the spending of the agencies.Former Group Captain at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, John Ojikutu (rtd.), said NAMA’s responsibilities and operating costs justified a review of its share of the TSC, arguing that the agency provides essential services that underpin the safety of virtually every flight operating through Nigerian airspace.According to him, NAMA provides air traffic and navigational services to commercial airlines, private and government aircraft, diplomatic flights and military traffic.Ojikutu added that NAMA’s responsibilities include air traffic control, flight information, aeronautical information, emergency coordination, search and rescue coordination and en-route navigation services.He further said the agency also manages Nigeria’s territorial airspace and ensures safe separation of aircraft from departure through their routes and arrival at destination, including flights transiting Nigerian airspace.Ojikutu noted that the system depends on a network of sophisticated equipment, including surveillance radars, Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range, Distance Measuring Equipment, Instrument Landing Systems, and VHF and HF communication systems.“These are critical safety equipment, and they cannot be allowed to operate beyond their maintenance and calibration limits,” he argued.According to him, the equipment and services are supported by more than 3,000 personnel, including over 800 air traffic controllers and more than 500 engineers and technologists, alongside ICT, administrative, finance and other support staff.He stressed that personnel and equipment require regular expenditure, with controllers and engineers undergoing mandatory recurrent training and medical checks, while navigational equipment is subjected to scheduled maintenance and calibration.Related NewsReps push aviation law overhaul as NCAA earns N1.13tnMalaysia airlines to test pilots after Indonesia drug arrestAviation funding dispute deepens as Reps intervene“Some of these pieces of equipment, like the ILS, require periodic maintenance and calibration every six months, while VORs, DMEs and radars have mandatory maintenance every 12 months,” he said.Ojikutu argued that NAMA’s earnings from charges on airlines and private operators were insufficient to meet the cost of maintaining the extensive safety infrastructure.He also accused domestic airlines of failing to fully meet their financial obligations for services provided by the agency, saying this had compounded NAMA’s funding challenges.Against this backdrop, he called for an increase in NAMA’s share of the TSC/CSC/CFC proceeds from 23 per cent to 40 per cent. “A review upward of the NAMA shares in the TSC/CSC/CFC earnings from 23 per cent to 40 per cent is very necessary,” Ojikutu said.He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. Experts say across agency lines, the government should ensure discreet investigations into the spending of the agencies.Former Group Captain at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, John Ojikutu (rtd.), said NAMA’s responsibilities and operating costs justified a review of its share of the TSC, arguing that the agency provides essential services that underpin the safety of virtually every flight operating through Nigerian airspace.According to him, NAMA provides air traffic and navigational services to commercial airlines, private and government aircraft, diplomatic flights and military traffic.Ojikutu added that NAMA’s responsibilities include air traffic control, flight information, aeronautical information, emergency coordination, search and rescue coordination and en-route navigation services.He further said the agency also manages Nigeria’s territorial airspace and ensures safe separation of aircraft from departure through their routes and arrival at destination, including flights transiting Nigerian airspace.Ojikutu noted that the system depends on a network of sophisticated equipment, including surveillance radars, Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range, Distance Measuring Equipment, Instrument Landing Systems, and VHF and HF communication systems.“These are critical safety equipment, and they cannot be allowed to operate beyond their maintenance and calibration limits,” he argued.According to him, the equipment and services are supported by more than 3,000 personnel, including over 800 air traffic controllers and more than 500 engineers and technologists, alongside ICT, administrative, finance and other support staff.He stressed that personnel and equipment require regular expenditure, with controllers and engineers undergoing mandatory recurrent training and medical checks, while navigational equipment is subjected to scheduled maintenance and calibration.Related NewsReps push aviation law overhaul as NCAA earns N1.13tnMalaysia airlines to test pilots after Indonesia drug arrestAviation funding dispute deepens as Reps intervene“Some of these pieces of equipment, like the ILS, require periodic maintenance and calibration every six months, while VORs, DMEs and radars have mandatory maintenance every 12 months,” he said.Ojikutu argued that NAMA’s earnings from charges on airlines and private operators were insufficient to meet the cost of maintaining the extensive safety infrastructure.He also accused domestic airlines of failing to fully meet their financial obligations for services provided by the agency, saying this had compounded NAMA’s funding challenges.Against this backdrop, he called for an increase in NAMA’s share of the TSC/CSC/CFC proceeds from 23 per cent to 40 per cent. “A review upward of the NAMA shares in the TSC/CSC/CFC earnings from 23 per cent to 40 per cent is very necessary,” Ojikutu said.He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. Former Group Captain at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, John Ojikutu (rtd.), said NAMA’s responsibilities and operating costs justified a review of its share of the TSC, arguing that the agency provides essential services that underpin the safety of virtually every flight operating through Nigerian airspace.According to him, NAMA provides air traffic and navigational services to commercial airlines, private and government aircraft, diplomatic flights and military traffic.Ojikutu added that NAMA’s responsibilities include air traffic control, flight information, aeronautical information, emergency coordination, search and rescue coordination and en-route navigation services.He further said the agency also manages Nigeria’s territorial airspace and ensures safe separation of aircraft from departure through their routes and arrival at destination, including flights transiting Nigerian airspace.Ojikutu noted that the system depends on a network of sophisticated equipment, including surveillance radars, Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range, Distance Measuring Equipment, Instrument Landing Systems, and VHF and HF communication systems.“These are critical safety equipment, and they cannot be allowed to operate beyond their maintenance and calibration limits,” he argued.According to him, the equipment and services are supported by more than 3,000 personnel, including over 800 air traffic controllers and more than 500 engineers and technologists, alongside ICT, administrative, finance and other support staff.He stressed that personnel and equipment require regular expenditure, with controllers and engineers undergoing mandatory recurrent training and medical checks, while navigational equipment is subjected to scheduled maintenance and calibration.Related NewsReps push aviation law overhaul as NCAA earns N1.13tnMalaysia airlines to test pilots after Indonesia drug arrestAviation funding dispute deepens as Reps intervene“Some of these pieces of equipment, like the ILS, require periodic maintenance and calibration every six months, while VORs, DMEs and radars have mandatory maintenance every 12 months,” he said.Ojikutu argued that NAMA’s earnings from charges on airlines and private operators were insufficient to meet the cost of maintaining the extensive safety infrastructure.He also accused domestic airlines of failing to fully meet their financial obligations for services provided by the agency, saying this had compounded NAMA’s funding challenges.Against this backdrop, he called for an increase in NAMA’s share of the TSC/CSC/CFC proceeds from 23 per cent to 40 per cent. “A review upward of the NAMA shares in the TSC/CSC/CFC earnings from 23 per cent to 40 per cent is very necessary,” Ojikutu said.He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. According to him, NAMA provides air traffic and navigational services to commercial airlines, private and government aircraft, diplomatic flights and military traffic.Ojikutu added that NAMA’s responsibilities include air traffic control, flight information, aeronautical information, emergency coordination, search and rescue coordination and en-route navigation services.He further said the agency also manages Nigeria’s territorial airspace and ensures safe separation of aircraft from departure through their routes and arrival at destination, including flights transiting Nigerian airspace.Ojikutu noted that the system depends on a network of sophisticated equipment, including surveillance radars, Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range, Distance Measuring Equipment, Instrument Landing Systems, and VHF and HF communication systems.“These are critical safety equipment, and they cannot be allowed to operate beyond their maintenance and calibration limits,” he argued.According to him, the equipment and services are supported by more than 3,000 personnel, including over 800 air traffic controllers and more than 500 engineers and technologists, alongside ICT, administrative, finance and other support staff.He stressed that personnel and equipment require regular expenditure, with controllers and engineers undergoing mandatory recurrent training and medical checks, while navigational equipment is subjected to scheduled maintenance and calibration.Related NewsReps push aviation law overhaul as NCAA earns N1.13tnMalaysia airlines to test pilots after Indonesia drug arrestAviation funding dispute deepens as Reps intervene“Some of these pieces of equipment, like the ILS, require periodic maintenance and calibration every six months, while VORs, DMEs and radars have mandatory maintenance every 12 months,” he said.Ojikutu argued that NAMA’s earnings from charges on airlines and private operators were insufficient to meet the cost of maintaining the extensive safety infrastructure.He also accused domestic airlines of failing to fully meet their financial obligations for services provided by the agency, saying this had compounded NAMA’s funding challenges.Against this backdrop, he called for an increase in NAMA’s share of the TSC/CSC/CFC proceeds from 23 per cent to 40 per cent. “A review upward of the NAMA shares in the TSC/CSC/CFC earnings from 23 per cent to 40 per cent is very necessary,” Ojikutu said.He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. Ojikutu added that NAMA’s responsibilities include air traffic control, flight information, aeronautical information, emergency coordination, search and rescue coordination and en-route navigation services.He further said the agency also manages Nigeria’s territorial airspace and ensures safe separation of aircraft from departure through their routes and arrival at destination, including flights transiting Nigerian airspace.Ojikutu noted that the system depends on a network of sophisticated equipment, including surveillance radars, Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range, Distance Measuring Equipment, Instrument Landing Systems, and VHF and HF communication systems.“These are critical safety equipment, and they cannot be allowed to operate beyond their maintenance and calibration limits,” he argued.According to him, the equipment and services are supported by more than 3,000 personnel, including over 800 air traffic controllers and more than 500 engineers and technologists, alongside ICT, administrative, finance and other support staff.He stressed that personnel and equipment require regular expenditure, with controllers and engineers undergoing mandatory recurrent training and medical checks, while navigational equipment is subjected to scheduled maintenance and calibration.Related NewsReps push aviation law overhaul as NCAA earns N1.13tnMalaysia airlines to test pilots after Indonesia drug arrestAviation funding dispute deepens as Reps intervene“Some of these pieces of equipment, like the ILS, require periodic maintenance and calibration every six months, while VORs, DMEs and radars have mandatory maintenance every 12 months,” he said.Ojikutu argued that NAMA’s earnings from charges on airlines and private operators were insufficient to meet the cost of maintaining the extensive safety infrastructure.He also accused domestic airlines of failing to fully meet their financial obligations for services provided by the agency, saying this had compounded NAMA’s funding challenges.Against this backdrop, he called for an increase in NAMA’s share of the TSC/CSC/CFC proceeds from 23 per cent to 40 per cent. “A review upward of the NAMA shares in the TSC/CSC/CFC earnings from 23 per cent to 40 per cent is very necessary,” Ojikutu said.He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. He further said the agency also manages Nigeria’s territorial airspace and ensures safe separation of aircraft from departure through their routes and arrival at destination, including flights transiting Nigerian airspace.Ojikutu noted that the system depends on a network of sophisticated equipment, including surveillance radars, Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range, Distance Measuring Equipment, Instrument Landing Systems, and VHF and HF communication systems.“These are critical safety equipment, and they cannot be allowed to operate beyond their maintenance and calibration limits,” he argued.According to him, the equipment and services are supported by more than 3,000 personnel, including over 800 air traffic controllers and more than 500 engineers and technologists, alongside ICT, administrative, finance and other support staff.He stressed that personnel and equipment require regular expenditure, with controllers and engineers undergoing mandatory recurrent training and medical checks, while navigational equipment is subjected to scheduled maintenance and calibration.Related NewsReps push aviation law overhaul as NCAA earns N1.13tnMalaysia airlines to test pilots after Indonesia drug arrestAviation funding dispute deepens as Reps intervene“Some of these pieces of equipment, like the ILS, require periodic maintenance and calibration every six months, while VORs, DMEs and radars have mandatory maintenance every 12 months,” he said.Ojikutu argued that NAMA’s earnings from charges on airlines and private operators were insufficient to meet the cost of maintaining the extensive safety infrastructure.He also accused domestic airlines of failing to fully meet their financial obligations for services provided by the agency, saying this had compounded NAMA’s funding challenges.Against this backdrop, he called for an increase in NAMA’s share of the TSC/CSC/CFC proceeds from 23 per cent to 40 per cent. “A review upward of the NAMA shares in the TSC/CSC/CFC earnings from 23 per cent to 40 per cent is very necessary,” Ojikutu said.He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. Ojikutu noted that the system depends on a network of sophisticated equipment, including surveillance radars, Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range, Distance Measuring Equipment, Instrument Landing Systems, and VHF and HF communication systems.“These are critical safety equipment, and they cannot be allowed to operate beyond their maintenance and calibration limits,” he argued.According to him, the equipment and services are supported by more than 3,000 personnel, including over 800 air traffic controllers and more than 500 engineers and technologists, alongside ICT, administrative, finance and other support staff.He stressed that personnel and equipment require regular expenditure, with controllers and engineers undergoing mandatory recurrent training and medical checks, while navigational equipment is subjected to scheduled maintenance and calibration.Related NewsReps push aviation law overhaul as NCAA earns N1.13tnMalaysia airlines to test pilots after Indonesia drug arrestAviation funding dispute deepens as Reps intervene“Some of these pieces of equipment, like the ILS, require periodic maintenance and calibration every six months, while VORs, DMEs and radars have mandatory maintenance every 12 months,” he said.Ojikutu argued that NAMA’s earnings from charges on airlines and private operators were insufficient to meet the cost of maintaining the extensive safety infrastructure.He also accused domestic airlines of failing to fully meet their financial obligations for services provided by the agency, saying this had compounded NAMA’s funding challenges.Against this backdrop, he called for an increase in NAMA’s share of the TSC/CSC/CFC proceeds from 23 per cent to 40 per cent. “A review upward of the NAMA shares in the TSC/CSC/CFC earnings from 23 per cent to 40 per cent is very necessary,” Ojikutu said.He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. “These are critical safety equipment, and they cannot be allowed to operate beyond their maintenance and calibration limits,” he argued.According to him, the equipment and services are supported by more than 3,000 personnel, including over 800 air traffic controllers and more than 500 engineers and technologists, alongside ICT, administrative, finance and other support staff.He stressed that personnel and equipment require regular expenditure, with controllers and engineers undergoing mandatory recurrent training and medical checks, while navigational equipment is subjected to scheduled maintenance and calibration.Related NewsReps push aviation law overhaul as NCAA earns N1.13tnMalaysia airlines to test pilots after Indonesia drug arrestAviation funding dispute deepens as Reps intervene“Some of these pieces of equipment, like the ILS, require periodic maintenance and calibration every six months, while VORs, DMEs and radars have mandatory maintenance every 12 months,” he said.Ojikutu argued that NAMA’s earnings from charges on airlines and private operators were insufficient to meet the cost of maintaining the extensive safety infrastructure.He also accused domestic airlines of failing to fully meet their financial obligations for services provided by the agency, saying this had compounded NAMA’s funding challenges.Against this backdrop, he called for an increase in NAMA’s share of the TSC/CSC/CFC proceeds from 23 per cent to 40 per cent. “A review upward of the NAMA shares in the TSC/CSC/CFC earnings from 23 per cent to 40 per cent is very necessary,” Ojikutu said.He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. According to him, the equipment and services are supported by more than 3,000 personnel, including over 800 air traffic controllers and more than 500 engineers and technologists, alongside ICT, administrative, finance and other support staff.He stressed that personnel and equipment require regular expenditure, with controllers and engineers undergoing mandatory recurrent training and medical checks, while navigational equipment is subjected to scheduled maintenance and calibration.Related NewsReps push aviation law overhaul as NCAA earns N1.13tnMalaysia airlines to test pilots after Indonesia drug arrestAviation funding dispute deepens as Reps intervene“Some of these pieces of equipment, like the ILS, require periodic maintenance and calibration every six months, while VORs, DMEs and radars have mandatory maintenance every 12 months,” he said.Ojikutu argued that NAMA’s earnings from charges on airlines and private operators were insufficient to meet the cost of maintaining the extensive safety infrastructure.He also accused domestic airlines of failing to fully meet their financial obligations for services provided by the agency, saying this had compounded NAMA’s funding challenges.Against this backdrop, he called for an increase in NAMA’s share of the TSC/CSC/CFC proceeds from 23 per cent to 40 per cent. “A review upward of the NAMA shares in the TSC/CSC/CFC earnings from 23 per cent to 40 per cent is very necessary,” Ojikutu said.He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. He stressed that personnel and equipment require regular expenditure, with controllers and engineers undergoing mandatory recurrent training and medical checks, while navigational equipment is subjected to scheduled maintenance and calibration.Related NewsReps push aviation law overhaul as NCAA earns N1.13tnMalaysia airlines to test pilots after Indonesia drug arrestAviation funding dispute deepens as Reps intervene“Some of these pieces of equipment, like the ILS, require periodic maintenance and calibration every six months, while VORs, DMEs and radars have mandatory maintenance every 12 months,” he said.Ojikutu argued that NAMA’s earnings from charges on airlines and private operators were insufficient to meet the cost of maintaining the extensive safety infrastructure.He also accused domestic airlines of failing to fully meet their financial obligations for services provided by the agency, saying this had compounded NAMA’s funding challenges.Against this backdrop, he called for an increase in NAMA’s share of the TSC/CSC/CFC proceeds from 23 per cent to 40 per cent. “A review upward of the NAMA shares in the TSC/CSC/CFC earnings from 23 per cent to 40 per cent is very necessary,” Ojikutu said.He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. “Some of these pieces of equipment, like the ILS, require periodic maintenance and calibration every six months, while VORs, DMEs and radars have mandatory maintenance every 12 months,” he said.Ojikutu argued that NAMA’s earnings from charges on airlines and private operators were insufficient to meet the cost of maintaining the extensive safety infrastructure.He also accused domestic airlines of failing to fully meet their financial obligations for services provided by the agency, saying this had compounded NAMA’s funding challenges.Against this backdrop, he called for an increase in NAMA’s share of the TSC/CSC/CFC proceeds from 23 per cent to 40 per cent. “A review upward of the NAMA shares in the TSC/CSC/CFC earnings from 23 per cent to 40 per cent is very necessary,” Ojikutu said.He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. Ojikutu argued that NAMA’s earnings from charges on airlines and private operators were insufficient to meet the cost of maintaining the extensive safety infrastructure.He also accused domestic airlines of failing to fully meet their financial obligations for services provided by the agency, saying this had compounded NAMA’s funding challenges.Against this backdrop, he called for an increase in NAMA’s share of the TSC/CSC/CFC proceeds from 23 per cent to 40 per cent. “A review upward of the NAMA shares in the TSC/CSC/CFC earnings from 23 per cent to 40 per cent is very necessary,” Ojikutu said.He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. He also accused domestic airlines of failing to fully meet their financial obligations for services provided by the agency, saying this had compounded NAMA’s funding challenges.Against this backdrop, he called for an increase in NAMA’s share of the TSC/CSC/CFC proceeds from 23 per cent to 40 per cent. “A review upward of the NAMA shares in the TSC/CSC/CFC earnings from 23 per cent to 40 per cent is very necessary,” Ojikutu said.He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. Against this backdrop, he called for an increase in NAMA’s share of the TSC/CSC/CFC proceeds from 23 per cent to 40 per cent. “A review upward of the NAMA shares in the TSC/CSC/CFC earnings from 23 per cent to 40 per cent is very necessary,” Ojikutu said.He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. He warned that inadequate funding could eventually expose flight operations to risk if critical equipment remained in service beyond their prescribed maintenance or calibration periods.But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. But aviation analyst and former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Sam Caulcrick, disagreed with the argument that operating expenditure alone should determine NAMA’s share. “I sympathise with NAMA, but OPEX alone is insufficient justification for increased funding without operational efficiency,” Caulcrick said.He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. He argued that capital expenditure in aviation must be tied directly to improved efficiency and revenue protection. “In modern aviation economics, every capital expenditure must deliver two key benefits: operational efficiency and revenue protection. Anything else amounts to waste,” he said.Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. Caulcrick pointed specifically to Nigeria’s upper airspace communications architecture, arguing that the use of repeater-based communication instead of adequately optimised line-of-sight VHF coverage had created blind spots and communication delays at high altitude.The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. The result, he claimed, was unreliable radio communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, with airlines allegedly choosing alternative routes to avoid Nigerian airspace. “Unreliable communications resulted in lost corridors; hence, lost income,” he said.According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. According to Caulcrick, overflight charges could become one of NAMA’s most important revenue streams if confidence in the country’s air navigation infrastructure is restored.His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. His prescription is straightforward: improve upper-airspace communications first, recapture lost overflight traffic and then reassess the agency’s funding needs.“Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said. “Don’t fund inefficiency. Step one: fix the architecture by recapturing overflights with proper VHF. Step two: then consider funding increases. We’re requesting more money to manage airspace that airlines are actively avoiding,” Caulcrick said.