Federal Government Starts Paying ₦18 Billion to Former Nigeria Airways Workers
FG has begun paying ₦18 billion in severance benefits to former Nigeria Airways workers, part of ₦36 billion approved by President Tinubu to settle outstanding entitlements dating back to the airline's 2003 collapse. As of September 12, 2026, 2,100 beneficiaries received payment across nine batches, with 600 more cleared for disbursement.
The payment resolves a decades-long dispute where thousands of workers awaited pensions and gratuities after Nigeria Airways liquidated amid mounting debt, mismanagement, and political interference. Keyamo accused Atiku Abubakar of hypocrisy for criticizing current hardships while benefiting from Obasanjo's administration that liquidated the carrier. Fani-Kayode countered that the airline was already insolvent before Obasanjo's 1999 return, noting it had just one aircraft by 2003 despite 32 in its 1984 peak.
The Ministry of Finance confirmed the process involved validating records and establishing obligations before payments started. This settles obligations that multiple administrations failed to address, including Fani-Kayode's rejected 2006 pension proposal.
For former workers and families awaiting closure, what does this delayed payment mean for their financial recovery after over two decades of waiting?