The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has moved to resolve the dispute between aviation unions and airlines over outstanding Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) debts, amid fears that a planned industrial action could disrupt flight operations across the country.
The development followed a three-day strike notice issued by aviation unions, particularly the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), on August 7, 2026, against airlines they accused of being indebted to the NCAA.
The unions also accused some airlines of preventing their employees from joining trade unions, adding the demand for freedom of unionisation to their conditions for suspending the planned action.
In a joint statement, the unions warned that they could commence industrial action against affected airlines at any time, citing the outstanding Ticket Sales Charge debts and alleged restrictions on unionisation among workers.
The unions alleged that some airlines had made “unfettered unionisation of staff in their organisation impossible after several efforts made by the aviation unions,” claiming that affected workers were afraid to express their intention to belong to unions of their choice.
They demanded an “unequivocal declaration through circulars and other direct means of communication” by the affected airlines to their employees that they were free to join unions of their choice without fear of victimisation.
The unions also demanded the immediate remittance of funds allegedly withheld from aviation agencies to enable the implementation of the conditions of service of their members.
However, the NCAA said it was intervening to prevent the dispute from escalating into an industrial action capable of disrupting flight operations.
The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, Michael Achimugu, said the Director-General of the authority, Captain Chris Najomo, would engage the unions and airlines to resolve the dispute.
Achimugu said the NCAA, as the industry regulator, would ensure that industrial action was prevented in order to protect passengers and maintain uninterrupted flight operations.
He dismissed suggestions that the NCAA was using the unions to force airlines to pay their debts, insisting that the unions had legitimate reasons to demand payment because their members depended on funds accruing to the authority for the payment of workers’ salaries and other obligations.
He confirmed that the NCAA and airlines had agreed on a repayment arrangement under which outstanding debts would be settled by instalments after the affected airlines made an initial payment of 10 per cent of their old debts.
According to him, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and Najomo had intervened when the unions attempted to picket indebted airlines the previous week.
“It was the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo and the Director General, CAA, Captain Chris Najomo that stopped the unions when they wanted to picket indebted airlines last week.
“He spoke to them and confirmed to them that the airlines have started paying the old debt as agreed.
“Of course, NCAA absolutely cannot use labour to collect its debt from airlines so, such suggestion is not true because NCAA is the regulator and knows how to relate with the airlines on such matters. I was personally there when the Director General told the unions that the airlines have started paying, so they should suspend the planned picketing,” Achimugu said.
He disclosed that a 30 per cent waiver had been granted to airlines on their outstanding debts, explaining that the accumulation of the debts was partly due to the NCAA’s policy of ensuring that regulation did not push airlines out of business.
According to him, the policy was adopted because the NCAA was conscious of the financial challenges confronting operators in the aviation industry.
“The onus is on the debtors to show reciprocity and magnanimity with a degree of honesty,” he said.
Achimugu also rejected reports that the unions planned to picket one airline as an example to other operators.
He said targeting a single airline without establishing that it had violated relevant regulations could create the impression that the unions were being sponsored.
He argued that any industrial action should be based on established violations rather than the selective targeting of an operator.
Meanwhile, investigations showed that despite their outstanding historical debts, airlines continue to pay the current five per cent Ticket Sales Charge, Cargo Sales Charge and Charter charges to the NCAA.
Aero Contractors, for instance, reportedly pays between N250 million and N400 million monthly to the NCAA, depending on its passenger throughput and cargo volume.
United Nigeria Airlines reportedly pays about N600 million monthly, while Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest airline operator, pays approximately N2 billion monthly to the authority.
It was also learnt that in addition to the 30 per cent waiver on old debts granted by the Federal Government, some airlines had negotiated further discounts with the NCAA.
Achimugu, however, said he would need to verify the authority’s accounts before confirming the additional discounts.
Meanwhile, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi, expressed concern over the dispute and questioned the use of labour unions to recover debts owed by airlines.
Sanusi described such an approach as an aberration and called for a broader overhaul of the aviation industry to make the sector more sustainable and purposeful.
He also called for a review of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge, noting that although the charge is provided for under the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, it has existed for more than three decades.
According to him, airlines have repeatedly called for a review of the charge in view of the changing realities and financial pressures facing the industry.
