FG Approves Long-Awaited Pensions for Retired Aviation Workers

The Federal Government has finally approved pension payments for retired aviation workers, including former employees of the defunct Nigeria Airways—bringing long-awaited relief to thousands who served in Nigeria’s aviation sector.

Nigeria Airways, once the national carrier, operated from 1958 until it was shut down in 2003 during the Obasanjo administration’s privatization drive, led by then Vice President Atiku Abubakar. At its peak, the airline employed thousands in key roles such as pilots, engineers, cabin crew, administrative, and ground staff—forming the backbone of the nation’s aviation industry.

However, following the airline’s closure, more than 6,000 former staff were left without full access to their pensions and gratuities, sparking nearly two decades of demands for justice.

In 2018, 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)—threatened to shut down Nigerian airspace over the government’s failure to pay N45 billion in owed entitlements. They decried the delayed payments and warned then Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika that the continued neglect of retirees was unacceptable, especially as many were dying without receiving their benefits.

That same year, former President Muhammadu Buhari approved a N22 billion partial payment. But union records showed that N36 billion remained outstanding, leaving many retirees in deep financial distress.

By January 2025, the National Assembly Joint Committee on Aviation threatened to withhold the Ministry of Aviation’s budget unless adequate provision was made to clear the backlog of entitlements.

The latest approval in July 2025, therefore, marks a significant breakthrough following sustained pressure from unions, lawmakers, and civil society groups. The Ministry of Aviation has confirmed that disbursements will begin shortly, with assurances that the process will be transparent and equitable.

For many of the retirees and their families, it is a long-overdue recognition of service—and a bittersweet victory for those who did not live to witness it.