Over 4,000 Ex-Nigeria Airways Workers Await Payment as Hundreds Die, ASRTI Raises Alarm

The Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI) has expressed deep concern over the continued delay in the payment of entitlements to more than 4,000 former employees of the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited, saying hundreds of the beneficiaries have died while waiting for their long-overdue benefits.

The aviation advocacy group described the situation as a “grave injustice” and called on the Federal Government to immediately implement the presidential approval for the payment of the former workers’ entitlements.

ASRTI said the prolonged delay had subjected thousands of former employees of the country’s defunct national carrier to more than two decades of hardship, uncertainty and bureaucratic frustration following the liquidation of Nigeria Airways in April 2003.

In a statement dated August 24, 2026, and signed by its President, Air Commodore Ademola Onitiju (rtd), the organisation said the affected workers had dedicated the better part of their lives to serving Nigeria and should not be left to suffer in their old age.

The group lamented that many of the former workers were now elderly and battling age-related health challenges, while some had reportedly died without receiving the benefits due to them.

According to ASRTI, the continued delay has resulted in a devastating human cost, with hundreds of beneficiaries allegedly dying from illnesses and complications associated with old age, including hypertension and diabetes, amid worsening financial circumstances.

The organisation argued that many of the deceased and surviving former workers could have enjoyed more dignified and comfortable lives if their entitlements had been paid promptly. Instead, it said, they had been left to endure years of false hopes and repeated delays.

“Nigeria Airways was never a private enterprise; it was the proud national carrier and a symbol of our collective sovereignty,” ASRTI said.

The group noted that the airline’s former employees were professionals who served the country with dedication and commitment, believing that the nation they served would recognise their sacrifices and provide for them after their years of active service.

However, ASRTI said the liquidation of the airline more than 23 years ago had left many of the former workers trapped in what it described as a dehumanising cycle of administrative delays.

The organisation warned that the manner in which the matter had been handled could send the wrong signal to Nigerians currently serving the country in different capacities.

According to the group, it was discouraging for public servants and other citizens to see people who dedicated decades of their lives to national service struggling to receive benefits they had earned.

ASRTI recalled that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Olorogun Festus Keyamo, SAN, had announced in December 2025 that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved the payment of the entitlements of former Nigeria Airways workers.

The announcement was made during the centenary celebration marking 100 years of civil aviation in Nigeria.

According to the group, the minister had explained that the presidential approval had been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance for implementation.

Despite the announcement, ASRTI expressed concern that the payment had yet to be effected months later, leaving thousands of former workers and their families in continued uncertainty.

The group criticised what it described as administrative negligence and bureaucratic bottlenecks responsible for the delay, insisting that any action capable of frustrating the implementation of a presidential directive was unacceptable.

It also welcomed reports that the presidential approval document, which was reportedly missing at a point, had been traced.

ASRTI said the recovery of the document should immediately pave the way for action by the relevant authorities.

“It is heartwarming to hear that the reportedly ‘missing’ presidential approval document has been tracked and should be acted upon forthwith,” the organisation said.

The aviation body further demanded accountability from any officials found to be responsible for deliberately delaying, stalling or mishandling the process.

It said those responsible for any systemic stalling, sabotage or misplacement of documents should be investigated and held accountable in accordance with relevant public service regulations.

While commending Keyamo for drawing attention to the plight of the former Nigeria Airways workers, ASRTI urged him to intensify efforts to ensure that the matter was resolved.

The organisation specifically appealed to the aviation minister to urgently liaise with the Minister of Finance and other relevant government authorities to facilitate the immediate release of the approved entitlements.

ASRTI stressed that the issue had become increasingly urgent because many of the surviving beneficiaries were advancing in age.

The group warned that further delays could mean that more former workers would die before receiving the benefits they had spent decades waiting for.

“These veterans served Nigeria and gave it the better part of their youthful years,” the organisation said. To reward their decades of patriotic service with avoidable suffering and administrative ping-pong is a stain on our national conscience that must be corrected immediately.”

ASRTI therefore called on the Federal Government to bring the more than two-decade-old matter to a final conclusion and ensure that the over 4,000 affected former Nigeria Airways workers receive their entitlements without further delay.

The organisation maintained that prompt payment would provide much-needed relief to surviving beneficiaries and their families, while also demonstrating the government’s commitment to honouring Nigerians who had faithfully served the country.

With hundreds of the former workers reportedly already dead while awaiting payment, ASRTI said the time for further explanations and bureaucratic processes had passed, insisting that immediate action was necessary to prevent more beneficiaries from suffering the same fate.