The Federal Government has announced plans to review the retirement age of Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) in Nigeria, in a move aimed at addressing manpower shortages in the nation’s aviation sector.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), disclosed this on Tuesday while declaring open the 54th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) in Abuja.
Keyamo said the review, which will raise the retirement age upward, is intended to retain experienced professionals in service and allow them to mentor younger controllers.
“I listened to the speech on the retirement age of Air Traffic Controllers, and I’m convinced it’s something I can take up. If pilots can fly up to 65 years, there’s no reason controllers can’t work till that age,” the minister stated.
He assured that the Ministry would work closely with the Permanent Secretary and relevant authorities to actualize the policy, stressing that air traffic controllers are the “apple of the eye” of the aviation sector, being responsible for the safety of the skies.
NATCA President, Amos Edino, in his welcome address, said the wave of retirements, migration of skilled professionals abroad, and inter-agency transfers have greatly reduced the association’s workforce.
According to Edino, projections indicate that by 2030, if urgent measures are not taken, Nigeria could experience up to a 70% shortfall in the number of Air Traffic Controllers.
He appealed for an upward review of the retirement age to 65 years, similar to other critical professions, and highlighted the association’s recent achievements in training and welfare.
Edino noted that over 150 controllers have received international training in modern aviation systems, while more than 300 benefited from local capacity-building initiatives through the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
He further revealed that the long-awaited salary adjustment for Air Traffic Controllers was signed in August and implemented in September 2025, urging that the same be extended to other agencies housing controllers.
The 54th NATCA AGM, themed “The Human Edge: Capacity Building in the Next Generation Air Traffic Management,” also addressed manpower shortages and safety challenges affecting air navigation services.
