Nigeria’s aviation industry could face major disruptions as aviation workers have threatened to embark on a nationwide strike over the alleged failure of airline operators to remit statutory ticket sales charges worth billions of naira.
The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) have given airline operators a 14-day ultimatum to pay all outstanding five per cent Ticket Sales Charges (TSC) collected from passengers on behalf of aviation agencies.
In a joint letter addressed to the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), the unions warned that the continued non-remittance of the funds has weakened the finances of aviation agencies responsible for regulating and maintaining safety across the country’s air transport sector.
According to the unions, the outstanding remittances have accumulated over several months and years, running into billions of naira.
The unions stressed that the Ticket Sales Charge is a statutory levy, not an optional payment or airline profit, but money collected from passengers specifically to fund aviation safety oversight.
“The continued non-remittance of these statutory funds is grossly unacceptable because it undermines the financial stability of the agencies whose statutory functions depend on these remittances,” the unions stated.
They further warned that the situation could affect the effective performance of aviation agencies, describing it as a threat to air safety.
“TSC is not a profit, but resources meant to facilitate safe air transportation,” the unions added.
The unions demanded that all outstanding payments be settled within 14 days, warning that failure to comply would leave them with no option but to take industrial action.
“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,” they warned.
As of the time of filing this report, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had not issued an official response to the unions’ allegations.
