The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has explained why it removed a Category III Instrument Landing System (ILS) installed at Lagos and Abuja airports, saying repeated failures created safety concerns.
The agency’s Director of Safety, Electronic and Engineering Services, Teresa Ihenachor, said the equipment was removed because it was frequently unserviceable and could not operate reliably under existing airport conditions.
Her response followed questions over the status of two CAT III ILS systems procured for Lagos and Abuja at a reported cost of about ₦7.58 billion. Ihenachor said the equipment had not been abandoned, insisting that safety considerations drove the decision to remove the Lagos installation.
“We did not abandon anything. It was removed for safety,” she said.
According to Ihenachor, the Lagos system had a history of unserviceability before she assumed office. She said the equipment had been repaired more than seven times within a short period after she took over but continued to develop faults.
She attributed the persistent problems partly to infrastructure and operational requirements needed to support CAT III operations.
“The ILS, CAT III, Nigeria does not have requirement for it,” she said, pointing to limitations surrounding airport infrastructure. She specifically cited runway and airfield lighting, noting that Lagos’ airfield lighting remained at CAT I while much of the associated equipment had been downgraded to CAT II.
Ihenachor said the Lagos ILS was consequently operated at CAT II level, but still failed to perform reliably.
“Even with the down-gradation to Cat 2, it was not functioning optimally,” she said.
The Director said the equipment was particularly sensitive to environmental conditions and produced unreliable readings. That situation, she explained, became unacceptable at Lagos because of the airport’s heavy traffic and the safety implications of repeated failures.
“So, the frequent unserviceability, I looked at safety. Lagos being a very busy airport. So, this issue of frequent unserviceability prompted me to have it removed,” she said.
NAMA subsequently obtained permission from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to install another ILS that had been intended for a different station.
Ihenachor said the replacement system, a NOMAC CAT II ILS, has continued to function. She also said the agency had addressed power-related challenges through a solar power system.
ILS Removal Raises Fresh Safety and Procurement Questions
Her explanation, however, also raises questions about the original procurement and whether the infrastructure required for CAT III operations was adequately considered before the equipment was purchased.
Ihenachor said her predecessor had provided professional advice before the CAT III ILS was procured, but that the advice was not followed.
“I learned that my former director gave them professional advice, which they did not adhere to,” she said.
She argued that equipment must be matched with the environment and supporting infrastructure where it will operate.
“You cannot just go and buy, you see a beautiful flower abroad without adapting it to an environmental factor,” she said.
According to the director, CAT III operations require supporting conditions that include appropriate airfield lighting, frequencies and reliable power. While NAMA had addressed the power requirement, she said the airfield lighting remained outside the agency’s control.
“Airfield lighting is not even under NAMA, but FAAN,” she said.
The Abuja installation also faced limitations, according to Ihenachor. She said it had been downgraded from CAT III to CAT II because of the supporting infrastructure.
However, her comments suggest that the Abuja equipment requires further clarification on its present operational condition and use.
Ihenachor said NAMA was considering relocating the equipment to other airports where it could be more appropriately deployed. She cited Calabar as one possible destination for equipment that could serve an airport requiring an ILS.
The director rejected the suggestion that the equipment had simply become useless.
“It’s not that it’s wasted,” she said, arguing that the systems could still be deployed at other stations once the necessary conditions are met.
The issue ultimately highlights a wider challenge around aviation infrastructure: expensive navigation equipment cannot deliver its intended capability without the supporting systems required for its operation.
For NAMA, the immediate priority is safety and reliable navigation assistance. However, the circumstances surrounding the original procurement raise a separate question about whether the infrastructure requirements for CAT III operations were sufficiently addressed before the equipment was acquired.
Ihenachor maintained that the agency’s decision in Lagos was driven by operational safety rather than abandonment.
“The bottom line is CAT 3 cannot function in Nigeria due to non-compliance with the environmental requirements,” she said.
Her explanation puts the spotlight on the relationship between ILS equipment, airport infrastructure and procurement decisions, while leaving the broader question of value for money to be determined by the facts surrounding the original acquisition and subsequent deployment.
For now, NAMA says the Lagos CAT III ILS was removed because repeated failures posed a safety concern, while replacement CAT II equipment has provided a more reliable solution.
