The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has lifted a nationwide flight ground stop in the United States after a communications and radar disruption affected air traffic control operations, resulting in more than 25,100 delays and 6,600 cancellations.
Nairametrics tracked the development through updates from the FAA, US transportation officials and flight-tracking data reported by Yahoo News.
The incident highlights how failures in critical air traffic management infrastructure can disrupt airline operations, affect passengers and create significant costs across the aviation industry.
US radar failure disrupts flights
The FAA imposed the ground stop on Friday, November 13, after instability in radar and communications systems affected air traffic control centres across the country.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the disruption began at about 3:36 p.m. Eastern Time, when the systems started producing inconsistent data. He attributed the problem to ageing switches, routers and overloaded copper communication lines.
- More than 3,500 aircraft were airborne when the restriction was imposed. Existing safety procedures allowed them to land, while medical evacuation and law enforcement flights continued.
- The FAA lifted the restriction at about 8:15 p.m. Eastern Time, nearly five hours later, although Duffy warned that operations would take time to normalise.
- Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said there was no indication that the incident was a deliberate attack or national security threat.
Flight-tracking data cited by Yahoo News showed that, as of 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time, more than 25,100 flights had been delayed and over 6,600 cancelled within, into or out of the US.
The figures were a snapshot of the disruption, rather than final totals. International flights were also affected, while airlines faced further operational challenges from displaced aircraft, crew schedules and stranded passengers.
Nigeria’s ageing radar system faces overhaul
The US disruption comes as Nigeria seeks to modernise its own air traffic management infrastructure. The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has warned that its nine-station Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) system has outlived its design life, with some components difficult to replace and several stations operating without adequate backup.
Nairametrics had previously reported communication problems affecting Nigerian airspace, including concerns that some international airlines were avoiding the country’s airspace because of difficulties communicating with air traffic controllers.
- At the 55th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association in Lagos on November 10, 2026, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said the Federal Government had approved a comprehensive radar system overhaul.
- He disclosed that new Very High Frequency (VHF) radios and Voice Communication and Control Systems for 14 NAMA sites had passed factory acceptance tests in Norway. Work had also begun on a new NAMA headquarters and Air Traffic Management Centre in Abuja.
- NAMA is pursuing Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology, while the report also indicated plans to acquire Indra radar systems from Spain to replace the existing TRACON network, operational since 2010.
- However, controllers’ association president Edino Ilemona Amos said the procurement announcements had yet to produce significant improvements at operational workstations. He warned that the association could consider withdrawing its services if a clear overhaul plan was not presented.
Other proposed improvements include extending VHF coverage, modernising voice communication systems, replacing obsolete radar components and completing the automation of the Aeronautical Information Service.
Better airspace coverage could boost NAMA revenue
Improved radar and communication infrastructure could strengthen aviation safety and increase Nigeria’s earnings from international overflights. Industry stakeholders estimate that NAMA could generate up to $1.5 billion annually if surveillance and communication coverage improves.
- Overflights are aircraft that pass through a country’s airspace without landing or taking off. NAMA charges between $75 and $195 per flight, depending on the category and route.
- Overflight, en-route and terminal navigation charges account for about 75% of NAMA’s income, while the statutory Ticket Sales Charge contributes the remaining 25%, according to the report.
- NAMA currently earns about half of the projected $1.5 billion, partly because ageing equipment and inadequate coverage limit its ability to monitor and charge for eligible flights.
An industry source said the agency’s actual revenue and remittances had historically fallen short of projections, while annual operational and personnel costs exceeded N43 billion.
The $1.5 billion figure is an industry estimate, not an official NAMA target. Achieving it would depend on deploying and maintaining improved systems that enable the agency to monitor more flights and collect applicable charges.
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