The Federal Government (FG) has given the green light for pension payments to thousands of retired aviation workers, a decision that ends a nearly 22-year struggle for former employees, particularly those from the defunct Nigeria Airways.
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) confirmed on Tuesday via its official X account that the Ministry of Aviation has committed to commencing disbursements transparently and fairly shortly.
This long-awaited approval brings significant relief to individuals who dedicated years to the nation’s aviation sector.
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The move follows decades of relentless advocacy from various unions pushing for justice for these retirees.
Nigeria Airways, a wholly government-owned airline, operated from 1958 until its collapse in 2003, a downfall attributed to widespread mismanagement, corruption, and accumulating debt.
Its closure left over 6,000 former staff members without their full pension and gratuity entitlements, sparking almost two decades of persistent demands for their benefits.
Stakeholders across the industry have largely welcomed this development, seeing it as a crucial step towards restoring faith and dignity within the aviation sector.
The issue has been a recurring point of contention.
In 2018, major aviation unions, including the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), even threatened to shut down Nigerian airspace.
Their action was a protest against the government’s failure to release N45 billion owed to the retirees.
At the time, they condemned the prolonged delays, warning the then-Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, that they would not tolerate further deaths of retirees without their benefits being paid.
Later that same year, former President Muhammadu Buhari approved a partial payment of ₦22 billion.
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However, union records indicated that a substantial ₦36 billion still remained outstanding, leaving many former workers in severe financial hardship, with some passing away before receiving their dues.
Most recently, in January 2025, the National Assembly Joint Committee on Aviation exerted pressure by threatening to withhold the Ministry of Aviation’s budget unless clear provisions were made for the full payment of these lingering entitlements to the former Nigeria Airways personnel.
