Harmattan operations remain a recurring topic in Nigeria’s aviation discourse, particularly during the dry season when dust haze affects visibility across several airports. However, concerns surrounding Harmattan must be approached with technical clarity and regulatory accuracy, rather than speculation. The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency has therefore moved to correct misconceptions that risk undermining public confidence in air navigation safety during Harmattan conditions.
According to NAMA, public debate on Harmattan operations must be anchored on five core facts that define the true state of air safety in Nigeria. First, Harmattan is a predictable seasonal weather condition that is operationally managed, not a systemic safety failure.
Second, all navigational aids supporting haze operations are routinely maintained and calibrated in compliance with international standards. Third, regulatory oversight and transparency are ensured through continuous supervision and formal publication of system status.
Fourth, existing instrument landing systems are appropriately matched to Nigeria’s visibility phenomenon profile, making higher-category installations unnecessary in most cases. Finally, Harmattan-related disruptions arise from conservative weather-driven decisions rather than infrastructure breakdown or regulatory neglect.
Harmattan is a predictable seasonal phenomenon, not a safety failure
NAMA stresses that while the phenomenon imposes operational limitations, it does not diminish the integrity or serviceability of landing facilities across the country.
In a statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Dr Abdullahi Musa, the agency explained that public conversations about Harmattan must be grounded in an informed understanding of how aviation systems function. He noted that conflating Harmattan-related operational decisions with alleged infrastructure decay risks creating unnecessary public anxiety, particularly among passengers who may not fully understand aviation weather minima.
Navigational Aids Remain Maintained and ICAO-Compliant During Harmattan
Contrary to insinuations that Nigerian airports are ill-prepared for the condition, NAMA maintains that all navigational aids at Federal Government airports are routinely maintained in strict compliance with international standards. These navigational aids are not maintained at discretion, but through mandatory safety processes aligned with standards issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization and reinforced under the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations.
The agency explained that Harmattan readiness is reinforced through continuous flight inspection and calibration of critical systems. Equipment such as Instrument Landing Systems, VHF Omnidirectional Range, Distance Measuring Equipment, and other communication, navigation, and surveillance infrastructure undergo scheduled ground and airborne verification. These processes ensure accuracy, signal integrity, and operational reliability during Harmattan and beyond.
Furthermore, NAMA clarified that these calibration activities are carried out using its dedicated flight inspection aircraft, operated by highly trained technical and flight inspection personnel. Oversight of these activities is provided by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, which audits compliance cycles and enforces corrective actions when required. This regulatory supervision ensures that dust haze operations remain conservative and safety-driven.
In line with global transparency practices, the agency stated that the operational status of navigational aids during Harmattan is publicly documented through Aeronautical Information Publications. These publications are accessible to airlines, pilots, and international stakeholders, ensuring that Harmattan-related operational decisions are informed by verified data rather than conjecture.
Specifically, AIP Supplement S81/2025, issued in October, detailed the calibration status of all navigational aids nationwide. At the time, only a limited number of facilities were approaching due calibration dates, while all others remained within valid inspection periods. This, NAMA noted, demonstrates that Harmattan disruptions are not rooted in widespread equipment failure.
Subsequent nationwide flight calibration exercises conducted in December restored extended serviceability timelines across several airports. In addition, further calibration activities have already been scheduled early in the new year to ensure continued Harmattan readiness. These proactive measures underline the cyclical and preventive nature of Nigeria’s navigation safety management.
CAT II Systems Adequately Support Dust-induced Visibility Impairment
One persistent misunderstanding surrounding Harmattan relates to calls for universal deployment of CAT III Instrument Landing Systems. NAMA clarified that such assertions are technically flawed. The selection of CAT I, CAT II, or CAT III systems is determined by traffic volume, aircraft capability, airline operational readiness, and long-term meteorological data, not by seasonal Harmattan visibility alone.
Globally, many efficient airports operate safely with CAT I or CAT II systems because prevailing weather patterns do not justify the cost and complexity of CAT III infrastructure. Nigeria follows this same risk-based approach. Historical data show that Saharan dust intrusion visibility rarely falls below levels that exceed CAT II operational minima, making CAT III unnecessary at most locations.
NAMA explained that Harmattan-related approach procedures in Nigeria are designed specifically around verified visibility data. Instrument procedures aligned with CAT II minima are validated, published, and operationally sufficient for the most challenging Harmattan conditions typically experienced. Therefore, equating the absence of CAT III systems with compromised safety is misleading.
Dust Haze Delays Reflect Weather Discipline, Not Infrastructure Breakdown
Where navigational systems are temporarily downgraded or withdrawn during Dry season dust haze, such actions are precautionary and safety-driven. They reflect conservative operational judgment rather than regulatory failure. Airlines remain responsible for operating within approved minima based on aircraft capability and crew qualification.
The agency further emphasised that Harmattan delays, diversions, or cancellations are primarily weather-driven decisions. No aviation authority can eliminate Harmattan; it can only be managed through forecasting, planning, and strict adherence to operational limits. In this regard, NAMA works closely with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency to provide continuous weather updates throughout the Harmattan season.
In conclusion, NAMA reaffirmed that Nigeria’s airspace remains safe, professionally managed, and aligned with global best practice. Seasonal dust haze presents operational challenges, but it does not signify infrastructure collapse or declining safety standards. The agency therefore urged responsible, technically grounded commentary on Northeasterly dry wind operations, while reaffirming its commitment to transparency, safety, and efficient air navigation.
