As Nigeria enters the peak of the harmattan season, air passengers face mounting risks from flight delays and cancellations that may persist until March. The crisis, however, extends far beyond frustration over scheduling it reveals a troubling gap in aviation infrastructure that threatens passenger safety and raises questions about regulatory oversight.
The harmattan, a dry and dusty wind originating from the Sahara Desert that sweeps across West Africa annually between November and March, creates thick atmospheric haze that reduces visibility for aircraft operations. During peak harmattan periods, horizontal visibility can plunge to as low as 300 metres, making safe landing without advanced navigation systems extremely difficult. Yet despite this recurring seasonal challenge, Nigeria has equipped only a fraction of its airports with the modern landing technology required to operate safely under such conditions.
Of Nigeria’s more than 26 airports, only five reportedly have functional Instrument Landing Systems (ILS)—the ground-based radio navigation technology that provides pilots with precise horizontal and vertical guidance when visibility is severely compromised. This leaves the vast majority of the country’s aviation infrastructure dangerously dependent on visual approaches during the harmattan months.
The disparity becomes even starker when examining the most advanced systems. Category III ILS, the highest-performance landing equipment available globally, allows aircraft to land safely in near-zero visibility conditions. Internationally, Category III systems are considered essential at major airports, yet Nigeria has struggled even to maintain operational Category III installations at its busiest hubs.
The Instrument Landing System works through two directional radio signals that provide lateral guidance through a localiser beacon and vertical guidance through a glide slope. This precision guidance is essential when dust haze makes it impossible for pilots to see runways clearly. However, the three categories of ILS—Category I, II, and III—offer different levels of capability. Category I requires at least 800 metres of visibility, Category II supports landings with visibility as low as 300 metres, and Category III enables safe landings with near-zero visibility.
The infrastructure crisis has recently worsened at Nigeria’s most critical aviation hub. In March 2025, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) decommissioned the Category III ILS on Runway 18R at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos following persistent system failures and consistent complaints from pilots and air traffic controllers. The system was replaced with a new Normack Category II ILS/DME, representing a downgrade in the airport’s landing capabilities.
According to recent findings, this setback matters significantly for an airport that handles a large portion of Nigeria’s international air traffic. Although the Lagos airport has retained its Category III ILS on other runways and has now installed an Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS) as approved in December 2025, the fact that one runway lost its highest-level landing capability during harmattan season reflects the vulnerability of Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja maintains a functional Category III ILS on Runway 22, though it too has faced maintenance challenges. The agency has indicated plans to use spare parts from the Lagos system decommissioning to address ongoing issues at Abuja.
Some progress has been made. Kano and Port Harcourt airports were fully certified for international operations in December 2025, with their navigational aids, including ILS systems, verified to meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)-compliant safety standards. Gateway International Airport in Ogun State is equipped with an ILS/DME on Runway 23 that was certified as fully functional in September 2025.
Ekiti Agro-Allied Airport, which commenced commercial flight operations on 10 December 2025, began calibration of its landing equipment in January 2025, with full ILS installation expected by late 2025. These developments represent steps forward, yet they address only a small portion of Nigeria’s airport network.
Aviation experts have raised serious concerns about whether Nigeria’s regulatory framework ensures adequate maintenance of landing systems. Capt. Mohammed Gbadamasi, a former Chief Pilot of the defunct ADC Airlines, expressed scepticism about the country’s commitment to aviation development, noting that a significant number of Nigeria’s 26-plus airports struggle with inadequate landing aids during poor weather periods.
Capt. Gbadamasi stated that “the installation and serviceability of even the basic CAT II ILS remain problematic,” a troubling assessment given that Category II systems are supposed to be the minimum standard at smaller international airports.
A more pointed critique came from Capt. John Ojikutu (retired), an aviation security expert. He questioned whether the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is effectively carrying out its oversight responsibilities, pointing to established regulations in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig CARs) that mandate periodic maintenance of aviation infrastructure.
According to Ojikutu, the maintenance requirements are explicit: radar, runways, VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range) and other navigational aids require yearly periodic maintenance, whilst ILS systems require servicing twice annually. “The question to the operators is: are they regularly complying with the safety regulations in accordance with the Nig CARs?” Ojikutu asked. “Is the safety regulatory authority enforcing its oversight of the regulations in line with the Nig CARs on operators and allied services?”
The NCAA, established under the Civil Aviation Act of 2022, operates as the apex regulatory body for aviation safety in Nigeria. The Authority’s mandate includes overseeing safety compliance across airlines, airports, and air navigation services. However, Ojikutu’s question highlights a persistent gap between regulatory frameworks and enforcement.
The harmattan poses a predictable annual challenge. According to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, when visibility falls below prescribed aerodome operating minimums, flights must be delayed, diverted, or cancelled. The Authority has issued standing advisories noting that during the harmattan season, fine dust particles in the atmosphere create thick haze that makes it difficult for pilots to see runways and other aircraft a situation aviation professionals describe as “flying blind.”
A British Airways flight was forced to divert to Ghana in 2020 during harmattan season, leaving passengers stranded in Accra. Multiple carriers including Delta Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates, and KLM have experienced significant disruptions during similar periods. Domestic airlines such as Air Peace and Arik have issued weather advisories, cautioning passengers about inevitable delays as visibility deteriorates.
The gap between Nigeria’s current aviation infrastructure and what international standards demand raises fundamental questions about passenger safety and national commitment to aviation development. The Instrument Landing Systems market is growing globally, with over 60 percent of airports in developed economies upgrading or planning to upgrade to advanced Category III ILS systems. Yet Nigeria, with one of Africa’s largest aviation markets and most active airports, remains significantly behind.
The harmattan season, extending from November through March, will continue to test Nigeria’s aviation system each year. Without substantial investment in ILS infrastructure and rigorous maintenance oversight, passengers face recurring disruption and safety risks that are entirely preventable with proper equipment and regulatory enforcement.
A comprehensive strategy is needed one that prioritises the installation of modern landing systems at all major airports, establishes and enforces rigorous maintenance schedules, and ensures the NCAA conducts robust oversight of operators’ compliance with safety regulations. Until Nigeria addresses these gaps, passengers should anticipate that the harmattan season will continue to ground flights and expose the limits of the country’s aviation infrastructure.
