Govt Mulls 65 Years Retirement Age For Air Traffic Controllers

The national authorities is seeking to reappraisal the status property of Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) successful the state to 65 years to span the manpower gaps successful the country’s airspace absorption and development.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who revealed this connected Tuesday, said the status property would beryllium reviewed upward to guarantee experienced hands and unit are maximised and allowed to walk their acquisition to the younger generation.

While opening the 54th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) successful Abuja, Keyamo said the ministry would enactment with the applicable authorities to guarantee a palmy review.

Describing NATCA arsenic the ‘apple of the oculus of aviation, ‘ Keyamo assured them of the indispensable enactment to relation efficaciously arsenic they are successful complaint of the information of the skies.

“I listened to his code connected aerial postulation controllers’ status age. I deliberation I americium convinced it is thing I tin instrumentality up”

The curate argued that if pilots tin alert astatine the property of 65, determination is nary crushed wherefore the aerial postulation controllers should not propulsion for 65 years arsenic status age.

Keyamo assured them that helium would conscionable with the ministry’s imperishable caput to cautiously survey it and get support for the upward review.

He noted that the state was abbreviated connected aerial postulation controllers and that the spread needs to beryllium filled.

Air postulation controllers person been pushing for 65 years arsenic status age.

In his invited address, NATCA president Amos Edino revealed that the question of retirements, the migration of skilled professionals overseas and inter-agency transfers driven by the hunt for amended opportunities person greatly affected their performance.

According to him, existent projections bespeak that if decisive measures are not taken, the aerial postulation controller workforce could diminution sharply by 2030, contempt the expected maturation successful nationalist aviation activities, perchance widening the manpower spread by up to 70 per cent.

He past called for a reappraisal and upward accommodation of the status property for aerial postulation controllers to 65, aligning with different captious professions.

Edino revealed that implicit 300 controllers benefited from the first-ever home grooming programmes initiated successful Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

He besides stated that the long-awaited wage accommodation for aerial postulation controllers successful NAMA was signed successful August 2025 and commenced implementation successful September.

“This landmark accomplishment should, successful owed course, beryllium extended to different agencies lodging aerial postulation controllers, ensuring equity and azygous designation of our nonrecreational worth crossed the aviation sector,” helium said.

Edino further revealed that NAMA Management, done the Directorate of Air Traffic Services (DATS), had commenced the organisation of secured lukewarm covering for aerial postulation controllers.

He besides highlighted the challenges faced by aerial postulation controllers, including persistent manpower shortages which, helium remarked, proceed to interaction the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of aerial navigation services.