Tinubu’s Govt ends 22-Year pension delay for thousands of Aviation retirees

The Federal Government has finally approved the disbursement of pensions to retired aviation workers, ending a 22-year wait for thousands of former employees in the sector.

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) made the announcement on Tuesday via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle.

According to the statement, the Ministry of Aviation confirmed that payments will commence soon and assured that the process will be handled with transparency and fairness.

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“The Federal Government has approved the long-awaited pensions for retired aviation workers, bringing long-overdue relief to thousands who served in the sector.”

This decision follows years of advocacy by unions pushing for justice for retirees, especially from defunct national carriers,” the statement said.

The approval also includes compensation for former staff of Nigeria Airways, which was shut down in 2003 due to mismanagement, corruption, and a heavy debt burden.

The airline, which had operated since 1958, was fully owned by the federal government.

Its closure left over 6,000 employees without their full pensions and gratuities, sparking years of protest and appeals.

The development has been widely welcomed by stakeholders, who view it as a significant step toward restoring the dignity of retired aviation workers and rebuilding trust in the aviation industry.

In 2018, aviation unions such as the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) had threatened to shut down Nigerian airspace in protest of the government’s refusal to pay outstanding ₦45 billion in entitlements.

Though then-President Muhammadu Buhari approved ₦22 billion for partial payment, unions maintained that ₦36 billion remained unpaid.

The unions also expressed frustration that many retirees had died while waiting for their benefits, condemning the long delay in payment.

In January 2025, the National Assembly Joint Committee on Aviation had threatened to block the Ministry of Aviation’s budget unless provisions were made to address the retirees’ outstanding entitlements.

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With this new approval, the government has responded to years of persistent calls for justice from the aviation sector, promising long-overdue relief for thousands of retired workers.