The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has reportedly announced plans to raise en-route navigational charges from N2000 and N6,000 to N18,000 and N54,000 per flight.

Business day reports that the airspace agency equally increased the extension of hours of service to airlines from N50,000 to 450,000, representing 800% increase per extension.

This is to enable the agency to recover the cost of diesel and other logistics during the period of extension. Stakeholders say this implies that air fares would rise to reflect the new increase in charges. Umar Ahmed Farouk, the Managing Director of NAMA, disclosed this on July 26th.at an event in Lagos.

According to him, “Currently, our unit rate for international flights charged for service provision is about $70, domestic flights are charged 6,000 Naira.

While NAMA recognizes the difficult economic environment aviation operates in Nigeria, it is equally a part of the ecosystem. It goes to the same market to procure equipment & other services like training.