Aviation workers under the Joint Consultative and Negotiating Council (JCNC) have called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently facilitate the payment of long-overdue entitlements to former employees of the defunct Nigeria Airways.
The appeal was made by JCNC Chairman, Comrade Hector Nnadi, during the 11th Aviation Workers’ Week and Award Night held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
Nnadi revealed that several attempts to secure payment through Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had been unsuccessful. He lamented that despite the dedication and sacrifice of Nigeria Airways workers, many retirees were still struggling financially, with some passing away without receiving their rightful pensions and gratuities.
In 2018, aviation unions had threatened to shut down airspace operations in protest against the Federal Government’s failure to pay ₦45 billion in outstanding entitlements. Though former President Muhammadu Buhari approved ₦22 billion, reports indicate that ₦36 billion remains unpaid, leaving thousands of former employees in financial distress.
In January 2025, the National Assembly Joint Committee on Aviation also weighed in on the matter, warning that it would withhold budget approvals for the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development unless funds were allocated for the unpaid entitlements of ex-workers.
Speaking at the event, Nnadi urged President Tinubu to act swiftly, describing it as an opportunity to be recognized as an “Aviation Workers’ Hero.” He emphasized that the appeal was not meant to undermine the ongoing efforts of Minister Keyamo but to bring the urgency of the matter to the President’s attention.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation, Dr Ibrahim Kana, who represented the Minister, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to workers’ welfare and unionism. He urged union leaders to prioritize dialogue over confrontation, emphasizing that cooperation was key to achieving progress in the industry.
