By Precious Mark
Following the recent face-off between aviation unions and several airline operators in the country, which led to a temporary disruption of operational activities at some airports on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has resolved the dispute among all key industry stakeholders.
The resolution was reached on Thursday during an emergency stakeholders’ meeting convened in Abuja by Keyamo.
The meeting brought together representatives of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), leadership of the aviation sector unions, and heads of aviation agencies to address burning industrial challenges and restore long-term harmony within the sector.
According to an official statement issued following the meeting and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mahmud Adam Kambari, Keyamo led all participating parties to agree on a comprehensive set of resolutions designed to foster greater understanding, cooperation, and operational stability.
As part of the primary resolutions, Keyamo directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other heads of aviation agencies to obtain structured payment schedules from airline operators.
These schedules are required to spread outstanding debts over a reasonable timeframe, taking into full account the airlines’ cost of operation alongside current economic realities.
To execute this financial framework, Keyamo instructed the Directors of Finance and Accounts across all aviation agencies to meet directly with individual airlines to agree upon realistic repayment plans within a period of one week.
On the issue of labor unionization, Keyamo recognized the fundamental right of workers to decide whether or not to belong to trade unions, emphasizing that such decisions must be made directly by the workers themselves rather than imposed by airline management.
The Minister mandated the NCAA to immediately ensure that aviation unions are granted direct access to the employees of all airlines solely for the purpose of distributing membership forms for workers to indicate their preference.
He warned that any airline that prevents this direct interface between unions and workers will face regulatory sanctions from the NCAA.
Keyamo and all participating parties also resolved that a follow-up meeting shall be reconvened after one month to review implementation progress and evaluate the state of the aviation sector.
The statement confirmed that these resolutions represent the collective decision of all participating stakeholders. Reassuring the public of a safe and viable sector, Keyamo reiterated the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu toward maintaining a safe, efficient, peaceful, and sustainable aviation industry in Nigeria.