The President of the Aeronautical Information Management Association of Nigeria, Dr Ibrahim Audu, has appealed to the Federal Government to halt the 50 per cent revenue deductions from aviation agencies.

Making this observation in commemoration of the 2025 World Aeronautical Information Service Day, Audu emphasised that these deductions are severely hampering efforts to upgrade obsolete facilities critical to the country’s airspace safety.

Speaking on the theme of this year’s WAISD, ‘Safeguarding The Skies: The Vital Role Of Secured Aeronautical Information In Aviation Safety’, Audu stressed the indispensable role Aeronautical Information Services play in ensuring the safety, regularity, and efficiency of international air navigation.

He noted that continued revenue cuts “are stalling essential modernisation projects within agencies like the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency”.

The AIMAN president specifically called for the expedited completion and implementation of the long-delayed AIS Automation project.

He stated that “Nigeria lags behind neighbouring countries in automation, and the system, once fully operational, will include geographic information systems, a digital NOTAM platform, and automated weather observation systems.”

These improvements, he said, “will enhance real-time data delivery to pilots and support safe flight operations.”

Highlighting efforts to professionalise the sector, Dr Audu revealed that AIMAN, under his leadership, has “established a licensing committee chaired by Mr Patrick Afatapa.”

The committee, he said, has made significant progress toward securing licensing for AIS personnel, which remains vital for professional credibility and operational confidence.

In anticipation of Nigeria hosting the first International Federation of Aeronautical Information Management Associations conference in 2025, Dr Audu announced that this year’s WAISD celebration would be decentralised and observed at the station level to galvanise support for the global event.

World AIS Day, commemorated annually on May 15 since its inception in 1953, serves to raise global awareness about the pivotal role of AIS in aviation safety and operational efficiency.