The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has begun the process of sectorizing the Lagos Sub-Flight Information Region (Sub-FIR) airspace into Lagos West and Lagos East Area Control Centres (ACCs).
The effort is part of the agency’s commitment towards enhancing the quality of air traffic services in the country.
Giving this indication at a recent stakeholders’ sensitization forum, Managing Director of NAMA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, said the project was aimed at reducing congestion on the available en-route radio frequency.
Akinkuotu said it was also to increase Air Traffic Management (ATM) capacity to manage the growing air traffic volume and simultaneously reducing delays within the Kano FIR, particularly in the Lagos Sub-FIR.
He said sectorizing the Lagos ACC would bring about optimum utilization of the airspace by reducing controller-pilot workload, thereby increasing efficiency and quality of service delivery.
Director of Operations, Gabriel Akpen, added that sectorisation of the Lagos Sub-FIR would reduce the safety implications of overload on the air traffic control system and personnel as well as provide functional air navigation services that will meet international standards within the Kano FIR at no cost to the users.
Akpen expressed optimism that the service quality of Communication Navigation and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) would as well be enhanced.
He said the process would be streamlined in accordance with the provisions of Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs) and consistent with the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Standard and Recommended Practices (ICAO SARPs).
As part of the process, the agency is currently optimizing the VHF radio and also installing a high-powered stand-alone VHF radio as backup to the total VHF coverage of Nigeria, adding that controller working positions on the ACC consoles are also being aligned to ensure they are in proper ergonomic positions.
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