After more than two decades of persistent demands and advocacy, the Federal Government has finally approved the payment of pensions and entitlements owed to retired aviation workers, particularly those from the defunct Nigeria Airways.

 

This landmark decision was announced via a statement from the National Orientation Agency (NOA) on its official X (formerly Twitter) account. According to the agency, the Ministry of Aviation has confirmed that disbursements will commence soon, with assurances of transparency and fairness throughout the process.

 

“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.”

 

 

 

Nigeria Airways, which operated from 1958 until its collapse in 2003 due to mismanagement, corruption, and mounting debts, left over 6,000 employees without their full pensions and gratuities. Since then, many retirees have endured financial hardship, with some passing away while waiting for justice.

 

The approval follows relentless efforts by 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). In 2018, these unions threatened a shutdown of Nigerian airspace over the government’s failure to release N45 billion in entitlements.

 

That same year, former President Muhammadu Buhari approved a partial payment of N22 billion. However, union records indicated that N36 billion remained unpaid, further deepening the suffering of affected retirees.

 

The Ministry of Aviation has pledged to oversee the distribution of the funds with due diligence, providing hope to thousands of former workers who have waited nearly 22 years for what is rightfully theirs.