Unions renew push for Nigeria Airways severance benefits

Aviation labour unions have renewed calls on the Federal Government to end the prolonged hardships of former Nigeria Airways employees by releasing their outstanding severance benefits, more than two decades after the liquidation of the defunct national carrier.

The appeal was made at the weekend in Lagos during the third edition of the Joint Aviation Trade Union Forum, themed “Safe Landing, Strong Leadership: Prioritising Workers’ Safety and Welfare in the Aviation Sector.”

Chairman of JATUF, Mr Ben Nnabue, described the continued delay in paying the retirees’ entitlements as painful and unacceptable, warning that it had created deep anxiety among serving aviation workers and was undermining confidence in the Federal Government’s airport concession programme.

According to him, all approvals required for the payment had already been granted by President Bola Tinubu, stressing that what remained was the prompt release of funds by the Ministry of Finance.

Nnabue urged the Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, to ensure that the approved packages were disbursed before the end of the year.

“All those who retired in the aviation industry and are still being owed gratuity and pension, particularly former Nigeria Airways workers, must not be abandoned,” he said.

“If Nigeria Airways workers have not been paid till today, there is no assurance that current airport workers will be protected under the concession arrangements.”

Also speaking, the General Secretary of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, Olayinka Abioye, said there were strong indications that the long-awaited payments could be made before year-end.

Abioye disclosed that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, had shown commitment in resolving the matter through sustained engagements with the Ministry of Finance.

He confirmed that the Presidency had approved the payment of the severance benefits and appealed to the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Yemi Cardozo, to facilitate the release of funds to enable the retirees to rebuild their lives.

An ex-Nigeria Airways pilot, Capt. Prex Porbeni, also appealed to the Federal Government to act with compassion, noting that many of the affected retirees had waited for more than 21 years without receiving their entitlements.

Porbeni recalled that presidential approval for the payment was conveyed to the Ministry of Aviation on 10 June 2025, adding that the ministry forwarded the required documentation to the Ministry of Finance on 24 July 2025.

“We are hopeful that the Minister of Finance will direct his officials to pay us without further delay. Sadly, many of our colleagues have died over the years without enjoying the reward for their years of service,” he said.

Meanwhile, the General Secretary of JATUF, Mr Hector Nnaji, called on the Federal Government to immediately stop the continuous deduction of 50 per cent of Internally Generated Revenue from some aviation agencies.

Nnaji lamented that despite repeated protests by aviation stakeholders, the deductions have persisted over the past four years, stressing that the aviation sector is designed for cost recovery and safety assurance, not profit-making.