Airlines, Unions Get One Week To Resolve Dispute

By Adebola Muili

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, has given airlines and aviation agencies one week to agree on realistic repayment plans as part of measures to resolve the lingering industrial dispute between airline operators and aviation sector unions.

Keyamo gave the directive on Thursday, August 13, 2026, when he convened an emergency meeting with airline operators, aviation sector unions and heads of aviation agencies following Tuesday’s temporary disruption of activities at some airports over the dispute.

According to a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mahmud Adam Kambari, the meeting was convened as a follow-up to previous engagements with the Aviation Sector Unions and the Airline Operators of Nigeria over the suspension of industrial action on August 11.

The meeting resolved that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other aviation agencies should obtain payment schedules from airlines, with the repayment period spread reasonably in consideration of the airlines’ operating costs and prevailing economic realities.

The statement further directed Directors of Finance and Accounts in all aviation agencies to meet with individual airlines and agree on realistic repayment plans within one week.

The minister also waded into the contentious issue of unionisation, affirming the right of workers to decide whether or not to belong to unions.

As part of the resolution, the NCAA was directed to immediately ensure that unions have direct access to workers of all airlines to distribute forms through which employees can indicate whether they intend to unionise.

“Any airline that prevents this direct interface will be sanctioned by the NCAA,” the statement warned.

The stakeholders also agreed to reconvene after one month to review progress made and assess the state of the situation in the aviation sector.

Kambari said the resolutions reached at the meeting were the collective decisions of all parties.

The minister, according to the statement, assured stakeholders of the government’s commitment to maintaining a safe and viable aviation sector.

He also reiterated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to a safe, efficient, peaceful and sustainable aviation industry.