The acting managing director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mr. Matthew Pwajok, has said that the agency is expected to spend a total sum of N36 billion on the total radar coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) and upgrade of the safe tower project (STP).
Besides, he said NAMA would spend $12.9 million on multilateration (MLAT).
As a navigation tool, MLAT uses a single, mobile receiver to measure the signals transmitted from a number of sites at fixed, known positions.
Speaking at an interactive session with aviation correspondents at the weekend in Lagos, Pwajok said N23.2 billion would be spent on upgrading the soft and hardware of the TRACON.
Of the N23 billion, he said N17 billion had been budgeted for system upgrade which includes the radar itself while N5 billion would be spent on upgrading very small appetite terminal (VSAT).
In addition, he said the federal government had approved N13 billion for the STP.
The NAMA boss also explained that MLAT upgrade will cost the agency $12.9 million, adding that the Agency had incorporated the provision of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) into the project.
He added that the UAV would aid the capturing of low-level flying helicopters in the Gulf of Guinea and especially, as their activities increased in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria.
Pwajok stated that VSAT would provide digital exchange of information at a very high speed and voice exchange of information using ground radius and air ground communication between air traffic controllers and pilots.
“The upgrade of TRACON is ongoing, since 2010, we have not been able to upgrade to top Sky, the upgrade is expected to improve the functionality and efficiency of the system, it will become automated, they will begin to issue information electronically thereby reducing the workload and pressure on Air traffic controllers and pilots. The upgrade will cover the entire nation, the nine locations of TRACON. This is all to improve the safety , efficiency and capacity the airspace,” he said.
