Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Nigeria's aviation sector is on the brink of another major industrial action as two of the country's largest aviation unions have issued a 14-day ultimatum to domestic airlines, demanding the immediate remittance of outstanding five per cent Ticket Sales Charges (TSC) running into billions of naira. The unions warned that failure to comply could trigger a complete shutdown of flight operations across the country, arguing that the non-remittance of the statutory funds has created financial constraints that are directly threatening aviation safety.
In a joint letter addressed to the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) and signed by the General Secretary of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Frances Akinjole, and the Deputy General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Odinaka Igbokwe, the unions expressed grave concern over what they described as a systemic failure by multiple airlines to remit the statutory charges collected from passengers on behalf of aviation agencies. The letter, dated July 8, 2026, gave the airlines 14 days from the date of issuance to settle all outstanding remittances in full, warning that non-compliance would leave the unions with no alternative but to employ every means necessary to protect the sector. "The accumulation of these outstanding remittances over the past months and years has run into several billions of naira and has adversely affected the revenue profile of the agencies," the unions stated. "This is creating avoidable financial constraints that negatively impact the effective discharge of their various statutory responsibilities and the smooth operation of the aviation sector in general. This is safety compromised."
The five per cent Ticket Sales Charge is a statutory levy established under the Civil Aviation Act and is collected by airlines on behalf of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other aviation agencies to fund safety oversight and maintain secure air transportation nationwide. The unions stressed that the charge is not a discretionary payment or a source of corporate profit but a legal obligation backed by international frameworks, including the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Doc 9734 Safety Oversight Manual, which explicitly mandates a sustainable and stable financing mechanism for civil aviation authorities. "We wish to remind all that the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge is a statutory obligation established by law, with the necessary backing of International Civil Aviation Organisation instruments, and not a discretionary payment," the unions said.
The unions explained that passengers pay the fee upfront at the time of ticket purchase, meaning airlines act strictly as collection agents and are legally bound by the Civil Aviation Act to remit the funds promptly and in full. "It must be appreciated that TSC is not a profit, but resources meant to facilitate safe air. Hence, the Agencies are mere cost recovery organisations," they emphasised. The unions accused the airlines of stifling the agencies of their required operational funds, warning that the continued non-remittance of the statutory funds is grossly unacceptable because it undermines the financial stability of agencies whose statutory functions depend on these remittances.
The threat of industrial action comes at a time when the aviation industry is already grappling with a separate dispute over a bill currently before the National Assembly seeking to reduce the NCAA's share of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge from 56 per cent to 40 per cent while increasing the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency's share from 22 per cent to 40 per cent. The NCAA had earlier warned that any reduction in its statutory share could undermine aviation safety and weaken its ability to effectively regulate the industry. The unions' demand for the remittance of outstanding charges also comes amid recent reports that the Airline Operators of Nigeria had asked the industry regulator to explore other means of collecting the charge, saying operators could no longer collect the funds on its behalf. Since that warning, operators have reportedly not been remitting the charge to the NCAA.
The unions have made it clear that the 14-day grace period serves as a final warning. "Kindly note that failure to comply with this demand within the stipulated period will leave the Aviation Unions with no alternative but to employ every means necessary to ensure that the entire Nigerian aviation sector does not go aground because of air safety issues necessitated by the actions and inactions of the entities stifling the Agencies of their required operational funds," they warned. The unions also called on the management of airlines to remit all outstanding Ticket Sales Charges in full compliance with their obligations without further delay.
As of the time of this report, the Airline Operators of Nigeria had not issued a public response to the unions' demand. However, the threat of industrial action raises the possibility of widespread disruption to flight operations across the country, potentially grounding flights and stranding passengers at a time when the aviation sector is still recovering from the impact of previous industrial actions and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The unions' warning that safety has been compromised underscores the seriousness of the situation, as aviation agencies rely on the Ticket Sales Charge to fund critical safety oversight functions, including the certification of airlines and airports, safety inspections, personnel training, and enforcement of aviation regulations. Without adequate funding, the agencies may be unable to carry out these essential functions, exposing passengers and crew to heightened risks.
The unions have insisted that the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge is not a profit but resources meant to facilitate safe air transportation and that the agencies are mere cost recovery organisations. They have urged the airlines to treat the matter with the promptness it deserves and take the necessary steps to avert an avoidable industrial comatose. For now, the ball is in the court of the airlines, and the next 14 days will determine whether the sector faces another major disruption or whether a resolution can be reached to ensure the continued safety and stability of Nigeria's aviation industry.
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