Almost a month after the fire incident that engulfed the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Old Terminal in Lagos, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), has finally deployed a mobile control tower to the airport.
The fire disaster, which gutted the terminal on Monday, February 23, 2026, had destroyed the air-to-ground facilities of NAMA, according to the Managing Director of the agency, Farouk Umar.
During the tour of the facilities, Umar had promised to deployed mobile control tower to Lagos on or before Friday, February 27, 2026, but the deployment of the equipment was delayed, reports The Guardian.
Speaking during the on-site inspection of the facility, the Director of Safety Electronics and Engineering Services, NAMA, Terese Ihenacho noted that the deployment marked a significant operational milestone for the agency.
She highlighted NAMA’s resilience and commitment to ensuring the continuity of safe and efficient air navigation services in Nigeria’s busiest aviation hub.
She further commended the dedication and technical expertise of NAMA personnel whose efforts, she said ensured the timely delivery and operational readiness of the tower.
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.”
Ihenacho further revealed that the control tower had been reconfigured to meet Nigeria’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 reflecting a forward-looking approach to modern air traffic management.
“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,” she explained.
Besides, NAMA said it has concluded arrangements to deploy a second mobile control tower to service Runway 18R to the same airport.
Ihenacho emphasised that the siting of the additional tower would be determined in collaboration with key aviation stakeholders, including air traffic controllers, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), to ensure optimal safety positioning.
She clarified that the deployment of the mobile tower formed 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.
Beyond technical deployment, the agency has also implemented critical support infrastructure at the site, including enhanced lighting powered by solar energy, reinforced structural bracing to withstand environmental conditions, additional power supply systems, and comprehensive security coverage with CCTV surveillance.
Ihenacho also mentioned ongoing efforts to improve the welfare and working conditions of air traffic controllers and technical staff operating at the temporary facility, noting that discussions were underway with relevant authorities to provide essential amenities and support services.
