Picketing: Lessors, creditors apprehensive over uncertainties in Nigeria’s aviation industry

Reports about the picketing of Air Peace operations last week by aviation unions have triggered skepticism and apprehension among lessors and financiers in the international aviation community, some of whom are already doing business with Nigerian carriers.

This was confirmed during the emergency meeting Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, had with aviation unions, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the airlines to resolve the impasse between labour and the operators.

An insider who was at the meeting and who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that a top official of one of the airlines who has just concluded aircraft acquisition negotiation with its creditors disclosed that when the reports about the picketing of Air Peace operations were received while he was overseas, some of the lessors and financiers expressed shock that unions or any group of people could have the arbitrary powers to suddenly shut down flight operations in major cities in Nigeria.

The insider disclosed that some of the lessors indicated that they may review the negotiations already in the works with some Nigerian carriers, while the creditor financing aircraft acquisition of one of the airlines said it would further investigate what happened.

Also, BusinessDay learnt that at the meeting, Air Peace confirmed that it paid over N17 billion to NCAA as five percent Ticket and Cargo Sales Charge in 2025 and that from February to July 31, 2026, it had paid over N7 billion as Ticket Sales Carge (TSC).

The airline also explained that while it has been paying NCAA over N2 billion monthly as five percent TSC, the regulatory authority issued it invoice for the payment of TSC for its London operations, two years after it started the service.

The charges for that period amounted to about N12 billion. So, NCAA and Air Peace agreed on payment modalities for the debt and prorated it across three years and since it was agreed on, the airline has been honouring the payment arrangement.

However, at the end of the meeting, the Minister issued a statement which stated that the NCAA and other aviation agencies must work out realistic payment schedules for outstanding airline debts, keeping operating costs and current economic realities in mind.

There was also an agreement that the finance directors across all aviation agencies are required to meet individually with airlines to finalize these custom repayment timelines within one week.

The state also said that the ministry affirmed workers’ freedom to choose whether or not to join unions directly, ruling that choices must come from workers themselves rather than management.

The Minister also tasked NCAA to ensure that unions have unhindered access to workers, with strict sanctions for any airline trying to block the unionization process.

Recalled that last week the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) selectively picketed Air Pea e forcing the cancellation of more than 70 daily flights, leaving thousands of travellers stranded nationwide and inflicting direct financial damage estimated at over N2 billion on Air Peace.

While union leaders cited two primary grievances—unpaid five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) debts to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and restrictions on worker unionization,Air Peace management raised sharp questions over why it was exclusively targeted when virtually all domestic operators share similar debt structures and non-unionized workforces.

This concern was despite official statements by Chris Najomo, Director General of Civil Aviation, who confirmed that domestic carriers are currently adhering to a structured repayment plan agreed upon with the NCAA to clear historical TSC arrears accumulated during the US-Iran fuel price crisis.