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The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the enforcement of its proposed “no pay, no service” directive against domestic airlines indebted to the agency.
The decision was announced by the Director-General of Civil Aviation, Chris Najomo, who said it followed extensive consultations with industry stakeholders and a review of prevailing conditions, particularly the rising cost of Jet A1 aviation fuel.
The NCAA had earlier, in a memo dated May 22, placed no fewer than 11 domestic carriers on a “no pay, no service” list over mounting statutory debts. Airlines affected include Air Peace, Ibom Air, Arik Air, United Nigeria Airlines, Max Air and Caverton Offshore Support Group, among others.
Findings revealed that the airlines promptly initiated discussions with the regulator, a development that led to the temporary suspension of the directive’s implementation.
However, the NCAA clarified that the suspension does not amount to a waiver or cancellation of the debts. It stressed that all affected airlines remain fully responsible for settling their outstanding statutory obligations.
The authority noted that it would continue structured engagements with operators to ensure compliance without disrupting flight operations across the country.
The NCAA also recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier approved a 30 per cent discount on outstanding charges owed by domestic airlines to aviation agencies, as part of efforts to cushion the impact of high fuel costs and stabilise the sector.
Defending the controversial five per cent Ticket and Cargo Sales Charge, the regulator described it as a statutory levy embedded in ticket and cargo sales under the Civil Aviation Act. It explained that the charge is collected by airlines on behalf of the aviation ecosystem and must be remitted to relevant authorities.
“The charge is not part of airline revenue or operating profit and should not be treated as such,” the NCAA stated.
The regulator further emphasised that it operates on a cost-recovery basis without direct federal government funding for its routine activities, making timely remittances critical to sustaining safety oversight and operational efficiency.
According to the NCAA, the suspension is a calibrated measure aimed at balancing regulatory enforcement with the need to avoid disruptions in the aviation sector, while still ensuring full recovery of outstanding debts.
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