How To Manage Conflicts In Aviation By Yakubu Dati
The Chairman of Governing Council, Federal Polytechnic, Ogbomosho and former General Manager of Public Affairs at Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Honourable Yakubu Dati has highlighted measures that could help to strengthen institutional capacity to manage conflicts at all levels of Nigeria’s aviation industry.
Presenting a keynote speech at FAAN’s 2025 Safety Week held in Lagos under the theme, Navigating Conflict for a Safer Aviation, Dati recommended promotion of open communication by encouraging a culture where safety concerns can be raised without fear of retribution and transparency and dialogue builds trust; training of aviation personnel including pilots, engineers and managers on negotiation, mediation, and emotional intelligence; leadership by examples of humility, empathy, and fairness as leaders model calmness in conflict situations and guide their teams towards solutions rather than blame; collaborative problem-solving involving joint safety reviews and feedback systems where teams can turn disagreements into innovation and institutionalizing safety culture which thrives when conflict resolution mechanisms are embedded in policy, operations, and performance evaluation.
He also recommended conflict navigation and safety outcomes, highlighting benefits of effective conflicts management as reduced safety incidents and near misses as communication and coordination improve, enhanced crew morale and psychological well-being, leading to better decision-making under pressure, stronger organizational safety culture, characterized by openness, accountability, and continuous improvement. He said “conflict resolution and aviation safety are two sides of the same coin. One cannot flourish without the other.”
Dati further said that “to navigate conflict for safer aviation is to recognize that safety begins in the human heart before it manifests in the airport, cockpit or control tower. It requires listening more deeply, leading more wisely, and learning continuously. If we can transform conflict into collaboration and disagreement into dialogue, then truly, the sky will not only be a space for flight but a space for peace, professionalism, and shared purpose.”
He proposed that as a way forward, “as we look to the future, our task is to re-imagine conflict not as a disruption, but as a driver of transformation. Regulators must integrate conflict management frameworks into safety oversight. Training institutions should embed human relations and organizational psychology into aviation curricula. Airlines must see investment in human factors and communication training as essential, not optional. In an era marked by increasing operational complexity, workforce diversity, and passenger expectations, our ability to navigate conflict will define the next frontier of aviation safety.”
