By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
THOUSANDS OF retired aviation workers are finally set to receive their pensions following a long-awaited approval by the Federal Government, bringing closure to a two-decade battle for entitlements.
The announcement made public via the official X account of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Tuesday, 22 July 2025, signals relief for former staff of the defunct Nigeria Airways, who have endured years of financial uncertainty since the airline ceased operations in 2003.
Nigeria Airways, once the pride of the nation’s skies, operated from 1958 until its collapse under the privatisation programme led by Atiku Abubakar during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The airline employed thousands across critical roles – pilots, engineers, cabin crew, and ground staff – forming the operational core of Nigeria’s aviation industry.
Following its shutdown, over 6,000 ex-workers were left without their full pensions or gratuities, triggering persistent calls for compensation.
Years of advocacy by aviation unions such as the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) heightened national awareness of the retirees’ plight.
In 2018, the unions issued strike threats and criticised the Federal Government’s failure to release N45 billion in entitlements. The then Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, faced mounting pressure after retirees were reported to be dying without receiving their rightful benefits.
That same year, former President Muhammadu Buhari approved N22 billion for partial settlement, but union figures indicated a shortfall of N36 billion.
In early 2025, the National Assembly Joint Committee on Aviation raised the stakes by threatening to halt the Ministry of Aviation’s budget unless provisions were made for outstanding payments.
The development marked a pivotal moment in the renewed campaign for justice.
By July 2025, approval follows sustained pressure from union leaders, legislators, and civil rights advocates.
The Ministry of Aviation has since confirmed that payments will commence shortly, with officials assuring transparency and fairness in the disbursement process.
It notes that this is a decision that ends a prolonged chapter in Nigeria’s labour and aviation history that had offered long-delayed recognition to the men and women who once kept the nation’s flagship carrier airborne.
