The Aeronautic Information Service Association of Nigeria ( AISAN) has identified inadequate funding and insecurity as some of the major challenges facing the country’s aviation industry.
In a bid to resolve the challenges and make Nigeria compliant with international best practices, the association has called on the Federal Government to invest more on state-of-the-art air navigation equipment.
Speaking to reporters yesterday at the headquarters of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency ( NAMA) in Lagos, its President, Mr. Babatunde Shittu, said the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), has set October, 2016 as deadline for all contracting states to migrate to the latest technology in aeronautical information management which he said, is divided into three phases.
The three phases are: consolidation, digital and information management stages. He said Nigeria is still in the first stage of the automation process and emphasised that the contract for the automation of aeronautical information service has been contracted since 2007.
He said at least 95 per cent of the contract sum has already been paid to the contractor.
He added that 11 sites would be connected with the automation, which includ the headquarters of NAMA, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, kano, Jos, Sokoto, Ilorin, Wukari, Lagos Airport and the headquarters of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).