MMIA FIRE: NAMA installs mobile control tower, plans second unit

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By Dickson Omobola

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Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, has deployed a mobile control tower at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos.

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Also, the agency has concluded arrangements to deploy a second mobile control tower to service Runway 18R.

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This is in response to the recent fire incident that affected critical air-ground communication infrastructure at the old terminal.

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Recall that Managing Director of NAMA, Umar Farouk, had said: “The fire has affected our air-to-ground communication completely. The truth of the matter is that with what I have seen, we have a lot to do when we are out of the situation.”

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Meanwhile, speaking during the on-site inspection of the facility, Director of Safety Electronics and Engineering Services, Engr Terese Ihenacho, said the deployment showed NAMA’s resilience and unwavering commitment to ensuring the continuity of safe and efficient air navigation services in Nigeria’s busiest aviation hub.

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She commended the dedication and technical expertise of NAMA personnel whose efforts ensured the timely delivery and operational readiness of the tower.

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She said: “As you can see, the Mobile Tower is fully operational and serviceable. All necessary test runs have been successfully completed, and air traffic controllers are ready to commence operations at any moment.”

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Ihenacho revealed that the Control Tower has been reconfigured to meet the country’s unique operational demands, incorporating local innovations that enhance efficiency and safety. Notably, the integration of a smart strip system alongside the traditional manual strip reflects a forward-looking approach to modern air traffic management.

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She said: “The way it was manufactured is not the way we are using it. We have restructured it to suit our local peculiarities. There is now seamless connectivity to Centrex and TRACON, which did not exist before. This is part of our innovation to meet global standards.”

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Ihenacho also said the siting of the additional tower would be determined in collaboration with key aviation stakeholders, including air traffic controllers, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, to ensure optimal safety positioning.

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She said the deployment of the mobile tower forms part of NAMA’s broader contingency and resilience strategy, originally conceived as a backup solution to mitigate potential disruptions arising from infrastructure upgrades or environmental constraints affecting the main control tower.

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