A payment committee set up by the Ministry of Finance to oversee disbursement of the N36 billion approved for the final settlement of severance benefits owed to former Nigeria Airways workers is set to commence sitting, following the Federal Government's approval for the immediate release of the outstanding funds.
The development, jointly disclosed by the President of the Aviation Unions Grand Alliance, Shuaibu Alfa, and the Acting Chairman of the National Union of Pensioners' aviation sector branch, Segun Adeleke, ends years of uncertainty over entitlements owed to about 6,000 ex-workers of the defunct national carrier, which was liquidated in 2004. The unions said the payment committee would work out the modalities for disbursement before payments begin, and that beneficiaries would be informed of the commencement date once the committee concludes its assignment.
A Two-Decade Wait
The total agreed settlement for former Nigeria Airways staff stood at N78 billion, representing a one-off payment equivalent to years of salary for each worker. Successive administrations made partial payments over the years, leaving an outstanding balance of roughly N36 billion that persisted despite President Bola Tinubu's approval of its release in June 2025. Former workers and pensioners, many aged between 65 and 101, had repeatedly appealed to the government for the funds to be released, citing a rising number of deaths among beneficiaries during the delay.
Next Steps
The unions said a congress meeting would be convened to brief members on the payment process and other implementation details once the committee concludes its work. The National Assembly's Joint Committee on Aviation had previously pressed the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development over the outstanding liability, which was transferred to the Ministry of Finance for settlement.
