The Federal Government has finally approved the disbursement of long-overdue pension payments to retired aviation workers, including former staff of the defunct Nigeria Airways, bringing long-awaited relief to thousands who have waited nearly two decades for their entitlements.
In a statement released on Tuesday by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) via its official X account, the Agency confirmed that the Ministry of Aviation has pledged to commence payments soon, assuring that the process will be handled with full transparency and fairness.
“This decision follows years of advocacy by unions pushing for justice for retirees, especially from defunct national carriers,” the NOA said. “The Ministry of Aviation confirmed that the payments will be processed soon, with a commitment to transparency.”
Nigeria Airways, the country’s former national carrier, operated from 1958 until its collapse in 2003 due to years of financial mismanagement and corruption. Upon its closure, over 6,000 former staff were left without their full pensions and gratuities.
In 2018, aviation unions including the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), threatened to shut down Nigerian airspace if the government failed to pay the ₦45 billion owed to retirees.
That same year, former President Muhammadu Buhari approved ₦22 billion for partial payment, but union records showed that ₦36 billion remained unpaid. Many retirees faced financial hardship, with some passing away before receiving any compensation.
Earlier this year, in January 2025, the National Assembly Joint Committee on Aviation threatened to withhold the Ministry of Aviation’s budget unless provisions were made to settle outstanding entitlements to the retired workers.
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