Keyamo Lays Foundation for N21bn New NAMA Corporate Headquarters

• As NASS commends FAAN for effective management of Lagos airport fire

• Facility to serve as symbol of reforms for Nigeria Air navigation system

•Says aviation agencies operated in silos for too long

Chinedu Eze in Lagos and  Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Thursday performed a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of new corporate headquarters and Air Traffic Management (ATM) Center of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

Meanwhile, in a related development, the Senate Committee on Aviation and House Committee on Aviation have commended the efforts of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for the efficient way it managed the fire that ravaged the old terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, known as Terminal 1 on Monday.

This is coming as the Board chairman of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Abdullahi Ganduje, said that the fire that destroyed the terminal may affect President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform in the aviation sector.

The new corporate headquarters and Air Traffic Management (ATM) would cost twenty-one billion, six hundred and eighty-four million, three hundred and fourteen thousand, eight hundred and thirty-nine naira, forty kobo only) inclusive of all taxes with a completion period of thirty (30) months.

Keyamo, while performing the ceremony at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the project site, said the event is more than just a symbolic turning of the soil, but a declaration of intent.

“It is a tangible demonstration of our unwavering, commitment to modernizing the critical infrastructure that underpins the safety, efficiency, and growth of Nigerian aviation.”

He added that: “The project we are commencing today is a strategic response to the need to consolidate NAMA’s administrative and operational functions into a modern, purpose-built facility.

“For too long, our agencies have operated in silos and in structures that do not reflect their strategic importance. With this new headquarters, we are providing a conducive environment that will foster innovation, enhance collaboration, and boost the morale of the dedicated men and women who work tirelessly to keep our airspace safe.

The new headquarters will integrate executive management functions with a state-of-the-art Air Traffic Management Centre, enhancing efficiency, safety oversight, and real time operational responsiveness.

It will provide a secure, technology enabled environment for the management of Nigeria’s sovereign airspace.”

He explained the project is being executed in strict adherence to the provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2007, following a transparent and competitive tendering process.

His words: “I am pleased to note that the contract for the initial phase, which is a critical part of this ecosystem, has been awarded to MESSRS NHD INTERBIZ PROJECTS LIMITED. The contract, valued at 21,684,314,839.40.

“The contractor is expected to complete this phase within the thirty-month period, and we will hold them to the highest standards of quality and timelines as stipulated in the agreement.

“This groundbreaking is not an isolated event. It is a direct and deliberate action pursuant to Executive Order 12. As we break this ground, we are not just excavating earth; we are laying the foundation for the future of air navigation services in Nigeria.

“We are building a legacy of safety, security, and prosperity for generations to come. When completed, this facility will stand as a symbol of reform.

“Let me commend the Management, and Staff of NAMA for the diligence applied in structuring this Agreement. Proper procurement, clear deliverables, and defined performance obligations are non-negotiable in projects of this magnitude. To the management and staff of NAMA, I charge you to see this project as a new dawn.

“Let this building be more than bricks and mortar, let it be a launchpad for excellence, a nerve centre for innovation, and a symbol of a new, more efficient NAMA.

“To the contractor, MESSRS NHD INTERBIZ PROJECTS LIMITED, I urge you to see this as a national assignment. We expect you to deploy the best of your professional skill, technical competence, and financial resources to deliver a project that will stand the test of time.

“There will be no compromise on quality or adherence to specifications. We will monitor every stage closely,” Keyamo said.

In his earlier address, the Managing Director/CEO, NAMA, Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar, noted the event will be etched in gold in the annals of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.

Umar said, “For the past six years, our dedicated staff have operated from temporary facilities in Abuja, yet they have continued to deliver on NAMA’s mandate of providing safe, efficient, and reliable air navigation services.

“Today, we take the definitive step to provide them with the world-class facility they so richly deserve.

“This project represents a fundamental shift in how we manage our airspace. For decades, our operations have been decentralized across multiple regions. Today, we announce a bold transition to a modernized, unified system.”

The NAMA boss further hinted that in the heart of the new facility will be a state-of-the-art ATM Center that will consolidate its air traffic control operations.

“By collapsing the two existing Area Control Centres (ACCs) in Lagos and Kano into this single, centralized hub in Abuja, we are creating a more cohesive and efficient “One FIR” (Flight Information Region) for Nigeria.

“This means that from this very spot, NAMA will exercise seamless radar control over the entire Nigerian airspace, ensuring that every aircraft, from take-off to landing, is guided by a single, unified operational authority,” Umar said.

On the part of the National assembly, speaking to newsmen yesterday after joint on-the-spot assessment by the Senate and House Committees, the legislatures said they were impressed by how FAAN rallied everyone relevant to put out the fire and working in tandem with the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and security operatives, it reopened the airspace quickly for airlines to resume operation.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Abdulfatai Buhari, told newsmen that the incident eroded safety, which is the priority of the present government.

His words: “You know the present government has an intention to always achieve safety first. When this happened two days ago, we resolved to come here and do an on-the-spot assessment today because yesterday was for budget defence.

“That is why we are here from both chambers. Now we are here and we thank God that there was no loss of life, which is the most important thing, and we are happy that despite the incident, FAAN and other agencies lived up to expectations.

“They were able to turn things around, they diverted flights, that shows that the response was high and, as a result, we are very happy.

“The takeaway from here is that investigation is still ongoing and we don’t want to pre-empt them, and that’s why we are not talking about sabotage or anything right now. We will allow them to do their internal investigations and there is also security who will eventually tell us what happened exactly. We can’t give a report in a situation where investigation is still ongoing. “

Speaking in the same vein, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Abdullahi Garba, reiterated that as the investigation of the cause of the fire was on-going; therefore, the National Assembly would wait for the investigation to be completed and report made available before official statements would be made on the fire, which destroyed critical weather, communication and navigational equipment.

Meanwhile, Ganduje, who spoke to newsmen after the assessment of the burnt terminal, the temporary terminal and other parts of the airport, lamented the destruction of sensitive equipment in the inferno and expressed hope that stakeholders would rise to salvage the situation.

According to him, “This is an unfortunate situation. We have not got the report yet. The Managing Director of FAAN, Olubunmi Kuku, is working on that. But what we could say is that this is really affecting the aviation reform by President Bola Tinubu, but all the same, the staff is equal to the task.

“From what we have seen, the firefighters did a lot of work. We have seen that a lot of very sensitive equipment has been destroyed, but no death was recorded anyway. I think the situation is under control, but it is unfortunate.”

On the constructed temporary terminal, he said: “I thought I was in one of the well-developed foreign international airports, but I am happy to see that I am in Nigeria and in Lagos. The quality of work is beautiful, and all the equipment is being fixed now. I think it is going to be a big success with the remodeling of the aviation reform.”