After nearly 22 years of delay, the Federal Government has finally approved pension payments for retired aviation workers, including former employees of defunct Nigeria Airways.
The long-awaited relief was confirmed in a statement posted on Tuesday by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) via its official X (formerly Twitter) account. According to the update, the Ministry of Aviation has given assurances that disbursement will begin soon, pledging a transparent and fair process for all beneficiaries.
This development marks a significant milestone in a decades-long battle for justice by thousands of aviation retirees, many of whom have lived in financial hardship since the collapse of Nigeria Airways in 2003.
Decades of Waiting and Advocacy
Nigeria Airways, once the country’s flagship carrier, operated from 1958 until it was grounded in 2003 amid allegations of corruption, gross mismanagement, and crippling debts. At its closure, more than 6,000 staff members were left without full pensions or severance packages.
Since then, aviation unions have relentlessly pushed for compensation, staging protests, issuing threats of industrial action, and lobbying successive administrations. Their demands grew louder over the years, especially after reports that several retirees had died waiting for their entitlements.
“The Federal Government has approved the long-awaited pensions for retired aviation workers, bringing long-overdue relief to thousands who served in the sector,” the NOA stated. “This decision follows years of advocacy by unions pushing for justice for retirees, especially from defunct national carriers.”
The Ministry of Aviation, the statement added, has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring transparency throughout the payment process.
Stakeholders Applaud Breakthrough
Industry stakeholders and union leaders have welcomed the announcement, describing it as a long-overdue step toward restoring dignity and rebuilding trust in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
In 2018, three major aviation unions 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) threatened to ground operations nationwide over government inaction on pension payments. The unions had demanded the release of ₦45 billion owed to the retirees and warned then-Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, that they would not continue to watch retirees die in poverty.
That same year, President Muhammadu Buhari approved a ₦22 billion partial payout. However, union records show that a ₦36 billion balance remained unpaid, keeping thousands of ex-workers in limbo.
Lawmakers Stepped In
The renewed push for justice gained momentum in January 2025, when the National Assembly Joint Committee on Aviation threatened to block the Ministry of Aviation’s budget unless the outstanding entitlements of former Nigeria Airways staff were included.
With the latest approval, there is renewed hope that a long chapter of neglect may finally be closing.
