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In the last couple of days, the aviation industry in Nigeria has been experiencing drama in ‘seasons and episodes’ between the regulators, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, and operators under the umbrella of the Airline Operators of Nigeria. The fragile industry may be heading into another turbulent phase as tensions deepen between the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and domestic airline operators over disputed statutory charges running into billions of naira. What began as an internal regulatory directive quickly escalated into a public confrontation after the NCAA slammed 11 airlines with a controversial “No-Pay-No-Service” order over alleged unpaid remittances linked to the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge and Cargo Sales Charge. The storm revolves around some of the country’s largest carriers, such as Air Peace, Ibom Air, Arik Air, United Nigeria Airlines, Max Air, ValueJet, among others, who have been accused by the regulator of failing to remit statutory payments. An internal memo dated 22 May 2026 directed all NCAA departments to withhold regulatory and administrative services from the affected airlines pending financial clearance from the Directorate of Finance and Accounts. “The DGCA has directed that no directorate should render any service to the above airline without financial clearance from the Director of Finance and Accounts,” the memo stated. The order immediately sent shockwaves across the industry, triggering fears of disruptions in flight schedules, operational bottlenecks and fresh uncertainty for thousands of passengers relying daily on domestic air travel. Defending the decision, Director-General of the NCAA Chris Najomo insisted the regulator could no longer ignore the non-remittance of charges critical to sustaining aviation oversight and safety functions. According to the NCAA, the controversial five per cent Ticket Sales Charge and Cargo Sales Charge are statutory funds collected by airlines on behalf of the aviation ecosystem to support safety oversight, personnel training and economic regulation. Industry insiders say the regulator’s position reflects growing concerns within the agency over dwindling financial liquidity and the implications for Nigeria’s compliance with international aviation standards. Although the NCAA acknowledged the severe economic realities confronting local airlines, it maintained that delayed remittances could undermine its ability to sustain risk-based safety surveillance and meet global oversight obligations. But barely 24 hours after issuing the hardline directive, the regulator backtracked and announced a temporary suspension of the “No-pay-No-service” order. According to them, the sudden reversal followed intense consultations within the industry. “This decision follows extensive consultations within the sector and a careful review of current operating realities, particularly the rising cost of aviation fuel and its impact on airline operations and overall industry stability,” the NCAA said in a follow-up statement. The body also stressed that the suspension did not amount to debt forgiveness, stating, “It is important to state clearly that this suspension does not represent a cancellation, waiver, or forgiveness of outstanding statutory financial obligations.” Yet, rather than calming tensions, the NCAA’s actions opened another chapter in the long-running battle between regulators and operators over the controversial Ticket Sales Charge. Within hours, the Airline Operators of Nigeria fired back strongly, accusing the NCAA of misleading the public and attempting to regulate airlines through media pressure. In one of its strongest statements in recent years, the umbrella body for domestic airlines declared that its members do not owe the NCAA “a dime” in regulatory service charges. The AON aims to clarify recent media publications attributed to the NCAA, which depicted member airlines as owing the regulatory agency for services provided to operators, stating, “These publications are not only misleading but represent a worrisome and unacceptable attempt to use the media to regulate operators outside the established regulatory framework. The AON condemns such behaviour in the strongest possible terms.” The airline operators argued that every regulatory service rendered by the NCAA, from aircraft inspections to crew licence validations and documentation renewals, is all paid for upfront before approvals are granted. The AON stated, “For clarity, the NCAA issues an invoice for every regulatory service it provides. Operators are then required to settle all such invoices in advance. “In practice, no domestic airline in Nigeria receives NCAA regulatory services without first making the full payment of invoices issued to it by the NCAA.” According to the operators, the real issue revolves around the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge, which they insist is fundamentally different from regulatory service fees.

The Executive Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, has been selected to deliver the 14th Convocation Lecture of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) and will also be honoured with an honorary degree during the institution’s 2026 convocation ceremonies scheduled for October. The university announced that Okonkwo would present the convocation lecture on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at the Alfa Belgore Multipurpose Hall on the ABUAD campus, while the conferment of the honorary degree will take place during the grand finale of the ceremonies on Wednesday, October 21. According to a letter signed by the university’s Chancellor, Afe Babalola, the institution’s Senate approved Okonkwo’s selection as the convocation lecturer in recognition of his accomplishments and contributions. The letter noted that Okonkwo would be one of three distinguished Nigerians to receive honorary degrees during the event. It explained that the awards are reserved for individuals whose lives and careers have made meaningful impacts on humanity. Commending the airline chief’s credentials, Babalola stated that his achievements and pedigree made him the ideal choice for the prestigious lecture. “With your antecedents and pedigree, you are certainly the right person to be invited to deliver the 14th Convocation Lecture,” the Chancellor wrote. He added that beyond the information available on the university’s platforms, the invitation would provide Okonkwo with the opportunity to witness first-hand what ABUAD has accomplished within 16 years in advancing quality and functional education in Nigeria, while also opening avenues for collaboration in the institution’s mission of service to humanity. The university further highlighted its strides in the education sector, noting that it has spent the last 16 years championing reforms aimed at transforming higher education through the institutionalisation of quality learning and practical education. Responding to the honour, Prof. Okonkwo expressed profound appreciation to the university and its founder, describing the dual recognition as a privilege. He said he was deeply humbled by the invitation and reaffirmed his admiration and respect for Afe Babalola, while confirming his participation in the ceremonies. “It is my absolute delight to accept both proposed designations as Convocation Lecturer and as a recipient of the University’s Honorary Degree,” Okonkwo said. He added that he regarded the recognition as an opportunity to join the league of eminent statesmen and technocrats who had graced previous convocation ceremonies and contributed to discussions on building a better society. According to him, he has always valued opportunities to serve humanity and considered the invitation another avenue to contribute to that cause. The forthcoming convocation ceremonies are expected to bring together academics, public figures, industry leaders and dignitaries from across the country, as ABUAD celebrates another milestone in its mission to promote excellence and innovation in higher education.

The Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) Alumni Association extends its warm congratulations to Engr. Emmanuel Izza, Chief Executive Officer of XEJet Limited, on the conferment of the traditional title of Njiriyo Bachama (The Bachama Martial Eagle). According to an invitation issued by the Bachama Traditional Council, the honour is scheduled to be formally conferred by His Royal Majesty, Homun Daniel Shaga Ismaila, OON, CON, PhD, Hama Bachama and Chairman of the Bachama Traditional Council, during the Honorary Traditional Titles Award Ceremony on Saturday, 6th June 2026, in Numan, Adamawa State. This honour is a fitting recognition of Engr. Izza’s contributions to community development, leadership, and the advancement of Nigeria’s aviation industry. Through his dedication, professionalism, and commitment to excellence, he has continued to make meaningful impacts within the aviation sector and beyond. The NCAT Alumni Association is delighted to celebrate this well-deserved recognition and joins family, friends, colleagues, and associates in wishing him a successful conferment ceremony. We pray that Almighty God will continue to bless and guide him as he takes on this distinguished traditional responsibility and continues his service to his community, the aviation industry, and the nation at large. Congratulations, Engr. Emmanuel Izza, on this remarkable honour.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered a full-scale investigation into security procedures at Yola Airport after PREMIUM TIMES published a series of videos showing Patience Abbo, the wife of former Adamawa North Senator Ishaku Abbo, repeatedly accessing restricted airside areas. The minister ordered the probe after seeking formal explanations from airport security officials following PREMIUM TIMES’ initial report on the incident, according to information obtained by the newspaper. Airport security officials reportedly told the minister that Mrs Abbo had told the AVSEC personnel on duty that she was travelling with her husband and was subsequently allowed access beyond the terminal gates. According to the explanation presented by the Airport Chief of Security, officials claimed they only realised she was not a passenger when they observed her returning to the terminal building alone after seeing her husband off to the aircraft steps. However, a second video, later obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, showing Mrs Abbo again accompanying her husband across the tarmac, dressed in a brown abaya and wheeling a colourful suitcase to the foot of an aircraft staircase, completely undermined suggestions that the first incident resulted from an isolated misunderstanding. Instead, the latest footage pointed to a recurring, tolerated breach of airport access-control procedures. PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the development prompted heightened shock and scrutiny from the ministry, prompting the minister to order an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the repeated access. Questions over passenger verification The explanation provided by airport security officials has raised serious questions about compliance with national and international aviation safety regulations. Under Part 17 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs), airport aprons and related operational zones are designated Security Restricted Areas (SRAs), with access strictly limited to authorised personnel and screened passengers holding valid travel documents. Industry experts contacted by PREMIUM TIMES questioned the tenability of the airport officials’ defence, asking why personnel relied solely on a traveller’s verbal claim rather than verifying their travel status with a physical boarding pass at the boarding gate. Insiders note that the breach highlights a wider, deeply entrenched “VIP culture” at domestic hubs, where airport officials frequently allow high-profile individuals to bypass security checkpoints, occasionally acting as personal baggage handlers for dignitaries, while ordinary travellers are strictly subjected to aggressive screening. Severe safety risks and institutional silence The ongoing ministerial probe is expected to examine the complicity of Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel on duty during both filmed infractions, as well as the unauthorised access granted to a videographer who filmed both tarmac departures. Abubakar Manir, the Officer-in-Charge of the Crime, Intelligence, and Investigation Unit at FAAN Sokoto, had previously told PREMIUM TIMES about the extreme operational dangers of allowing untrained, non-travelling civilians to converge on the foot of operational aircraft. “There are a lot of risks associated… Some aircraft have propeller engines. Once they start the engine, a civilian might not know the safety procedure. If you are close, it can hit you,” Mr Manir stated during an earlier field interview. Efforts to reach Mr Abbo on the telephone to ask why his wife repeatedly violated airport security protocols were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

Aviation professionals under the umbrella of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative have criticised the Federal Government’s reported N60bn invoice discounts to airlines, describing the intervention as ineffective and incapable of addressing the worsening challenges confronting Nigeria’s domestic aviation sector. The group said despite the huge financial concession granted to operators, there had been no corresponding reduction in the price of Jet A1 aviation fuel, airline indebtedness, or passenger fares, leaving both airlines and air travellers struggling under the weight of rising operational costs. Speaking through a statement on Monday, President of the aviation professional group, Air Commodore (retd.) Ademola Onitiju, stated that Nigeria’s domestic aviation industry remained trapped in a prolonged crisis driven largely by the soaring cost of aviation fuel, which currently sells for between N1,650 and N2,037 per litre. Recall that recently, when operators complained about what they described as the unbearable cost of aviation fuel, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, conceded 30 per cent of the airlines’ debt with a view to cushioning the effect of the fuel price on their businesses. This debt reduction, professionals say, was put at N60bn. According to Onitiju, fuel now accounts for almost half of airlines’ operating expenses, forcing carriers to increase ticket prices beyond the reach of many Nigerians. “The Nigerian domestic aviation sector currently faces a profound and protracted crisis driven primarily by the escalating cost of Jet A1 fuel. This single factor has pushed fuel to nearly half of total airline operating expenses and has forced domestic carriers to raise fares to levels that many Nigerians can no longer afford,” he said. Onitiju argued that the government’s N60bn intervention failed to deliver any meaningful impact on the aviation value chain. He emphasised, “Rather than frontally tackle this urgent challenge, the Federal Government has already given away N60 billion in invoice discounts to airlines with no measurable benefit to the industry or the travelling public. “The defects are palpable. Jet A1 prices have remained unchanged. Airline debts have not reduced. Neither have we seen passengers enjoy cheaper fares. The cargo logistics, tourism and hospitality sectors have not experienced growth. The aviation ecosystem—airlines, agencies, concessionaires and ground handlers—received no structural relief from that hollow N60bn largesse.” To address the crisis, the aviation body proposed what it described as a Fuel-for-Stability Programme, which would involve the direct allocation of crude oil to local refiners specifically to support domestic airlines through lower fuel prices. “The Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative has therefore recommended a more effective and fiscally responsible alternative. The proposal seeks to focus exclusively on domestic operators through the allocation of crude oil directly to local refiners. “This Fuel-for-Stability Programme eliminates the N60bn waste, reduces government cost exposure and creates a stable fuel-pricing structure that immediately transforms the economics of the sector,” Onitiju explained. He stressed that the objective was not necessarily to achieve a particular fuel price benchmark but to create a predictable supply chain capable of reducing costs and stimulating growth. “Whether the final feasible fuel price is N300 or slightly above is not the issue. The grand strategy is to emplace a stable, predictable supply of crude to local refiners in order to dramatically lower operating costs, enable lower fares, higher passenger traffic, more profitable airlines, stronger aviation agencies and a healthier fiscally backed ecosystem.” The aviation expert further argued that affordable air transport would unlock broader economic opportunities and expand access to aviation services for millions of Nigerians. “Lower air fares are not restricted to consumer benefits; they are catalysts for market expansion, passenger traffic growth, higher load factors and the economies of scale that make the business of commercial aviation sustainable. “A nation of over 220 million people should not continually operate an aviation market accessible only to a narrow segment of its population. Reduced airfares will result in a natural expansion of the market and sustainable sectoral growth,” he said. Referencing other countries, Onitiju said governments that successfully transformed their aviation sectors focused on affordability and long-term structural reforms rather than temporary interventions. “This approach is pragmatic and not theoretical. India achieved some of the lowest domestic fares in the world and explosive traffic growth by stabilising fuel supply and prioritising structural reforms. “Turkey, Indonesia and Brazil also transformed their aviation sectors by focusing on affordability, volume growth and ecosystem-wide efficiency, not piecemeal interventions that deliver no lasting value.” While acknowledging efforts by the current administration to restore confidence among global aircraft lessors and support local aircraft maintenance capabilities, the ASRTI president insisted that more deliberate policies were needed to drive sustainable growth. He further stated, “We have on many occasions lauded the efforts of the present administration to restore global aircraft lessors’ confidence in Nigeria’s aviation sector, including the bold aim of localising aircraft maintenance and availability. “However, the government has to be deliberate in its policies to grow the aviation sector in order to catalyse national economic growth. Deliberate market-shaping policy reforms will result in making flying a mass-market activity in Nigeria and enhance its global competitiveness.” Source – Punch