Nigeria’s government has approved $148m to “reform” the country’s aviation sector after three recent air crashes.
A “total overhaul” of the control towers of Nigeria’s 22 airports and installation of modern weather forecasting equipment has been ordered.
These were recommendations made in the wake of the December 2005 plane crash in which 73 schoolchildren died.
The decision to release the money comes 10 days after a plane crash killed the spiritual leader of Nigeria’s Muslims.
Ninety-five other passengers died when the ADC flight from the capital, Abuja, destined for the north-western city of Sokoto, crashed shortly after take-off.
Nigeria’s aviation minister was sacked in the aftermath of the disaster.
Crowded air space
Information Minister Frank Nweke Jnr told reporters in Abuja that the Nigerian government was “seriously concerned about developments in the aviation sector”.
“We are doing this to ensure safety in our skies. It is to conform to global standards,” he said.
The minister confirmed that the money would be used to implement the recommendations of Air Marshal Paul Dike Committee.
However, the BBC’s Jamilah Tangaza in Abuja says the committee’s concerns about Nigeria’s crowded air space are not being addressed.
Just over a year ago, a passenger jet operated by Bellview went down near Lagos, killing 117 people.
Seven weeks later, a plane operated by the Nigerian airline Sosoliso crashed on landing in the southern city of Port Harcourt, killing 106 people, half of whom were children.
Since then new aviation officials have been appointed and runways are being improved.