The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved N13.122 billion for the automation of four Nigerian airports and consequent transformation of the airports from their current analogue to full digital operations.
The Ministers of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika and Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, made this known to State House correspondents at the end of the 14th meeting of FEC in Abuja.
Briefing reporters, the Minister said, the approval was sequel to the presentation of a memorandum by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for upgrading and refurbishing of control tower equipment at the airports.
Sirika, who listed the affected places as Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt airports, said the automation would enhance efficiency of the airports and reduce workload.
“The development would enhance speedy and automatic display of collected data from the runway about weather, wind, rain, macro burst, among others, on the control tower platform.”
“Instant display of data would enhance efficiency of the pilot in the air adding that the pilot will not have to wait for the next one hour before receiving reports from the tower because there will be instant transmission of information.”
According to him, this new initiative will aid the advent of several flights into the airport.
Sirika expressed optimism that the safe tower projects, when completed, would increase efficiency and reduce the workload of air controllers in the affected airports.
He further explained that the payment of the contract sum would be in two parts.
“First component which is a foreign component is €28,489,565 million while the naira component is N3.491,504,488.31.
“Of course, there will be 7.5 per cent added VAT. It will be for completion period of 12 months.’’