The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has called 13 domestic airlines to an urgent meeting in Abuja to address mounting complaints about flight delays, cancellations, and poor treatment of passengers.
The meeting, set for Wednesday at the NCAA headquarters, was announced by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, via a statement on his official X handle on Tuesday.
“The NCAA has invited all domestic airlines to a meeting in Abuja slated for tomorrow, Wednesday,” Achimugu said, outlining an agenda that tackles critical issues plaguing the sector.
These include persistent flight delays and cancellations, inadequate passenger welfare, unresolved refund disputes, enforcement of safety protocols like the mandatory phone switch-off during flights, protection of airline staff and NCAA officials from passenger aggression, and the introduction of advanced technologies such as RFID baggage tagging and real-time flight monitoring.
The NCAA’s action follows a surge in public frustration, with data from the agency revealing that between September and October 2024, out of 10,804 domestic flights operated, 5,225 experienced delays and 190 were cancelled outright. These disruptions have led to widespread passenger discontent, with many travellers left stranded at airports without proper communication or support. The situation has been compounded by rising incidents of unruly passenger behaviour, which Achimugu partly attributes to airlines’ failure to adhere to regulations.
“Airlines cancel flights late at night without making provisions for passenger welfare, leaving NCAA consumer protection officers to manage agitated travellers. This exposes our staff to unnecessary risk,” he stated.
Under Part 19 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, airlines are required to provide accommodation for passengers stranded between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. due to delays or cancellations, alongside clear procedures for refunds and compensation.
However, compliance has been inconsistent. The NCAA noted that many airlines fail to meet these obligations, leaving passengers frustrated and sparking confrontations at airports. In 2024 alone, the agency recorded over 1,500 formal complaints related to flight disruptions and poor handling, a 30 per cent increase from the previous year, according to internal NCAA data.
Achimugu was clear that the era of leniency was over.
“For infractions that are sanctionable, the Authority will apply the fullest measures possible. We will not abandon the letters of our regulations,” he warned.
The NCAA has already signalled its intent to publicly name and shame non-compliant airlines, a step reiterated in a Monday statement reminding operators of their responsibilities. This follows a similar directive earlier in 2025, when the NCAA summoned Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest domestic carrier, over chronic delays and cancellations, urging the airline to scale operations to match its fleet capacity.
The challenges facing Nigeria’s aviation sector are not new. Operational constraints, including high fuel costs, which account for over 40 percent of airlines’ operating expenses according to the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), and a shortage of aircraft exacerbated by maintenance issues and foreign exchange constraints have strained the industry. Nigeria’s domestic fleet size has dwindled to fewer than 90 operational aircraft in 2025, down from 104 in 2020, per NCAA records. Despite these difficulties, Achimugu insisted that airlines must prioritise passenger rights.
“While we understand the difficulties operators encounter, the Authority will not compromise on the need to protect passengers and ensure that Nigerian carriers meet acceptable service standards,” he said.
The Wednesday meeting is also expected to address technological upgrades to improve efficiency. The NCAA plans to introduce RFID baggage tagging to reduce lost luggage incidents, which affected 2.3 per cent of domestic travellers in 2024, and real-time flight monitoring to enhance operational transparency. These initiatives align with global aviation standards, which the NCAA is pushing local carriers to adopt.
“Nigerian carriers must meet global standards if they want to be respected as world-class,” Achimugu noted.
Nigeria’s aviation industry is facing a pivotal moment. With the demand for domestic air travel steadily increasing, the pressure on airlines to deliver reliable services has never been higher. In 2024, passenger traffic surged by 12%, reaching 15.9 million, according to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). This growth underscores the nation’s expanding middle class and increasing need for air travel. However, this surge in demand has also highlighted significant service lapses within the sector, which have drawn growing criticism from the public.
Despite this increasing demand, the industry has faced numerous challenges, including rising operational costs and issues surrounding flight delays and cancellations. These challenges have led to public dissatisfaction, placing pressure on the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to step up enforcement and restore consumer confidence.
The NCAA’s renewed drive to enforce regulations aims to address these service failures head-on, but it remains to be seen whether airlines will rise to the challenge. The increased scrutiny could lead to more stringent sanctions for non-compliant carriers, forcing them to improve or face potential penalties.
In this context, the outcomes of the ongoing regulatory push could mark a turning point for the Nigerian aviation industry. If successful, it will not only restore faith in domestic airlines but also lay the groundwork for a more efficient and competitive sector that can meet the rising demand for air travel.
