UPDATED: NCAA urges aviation unions to call off strike as peace talks stumble

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has appealed to aviation unions to suspend their ongoing industrial action, revealing that a scheduled peace meeting convened by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, fell through after airline operators failed to show up.

The appeal came as the labour dispute continued to disrupt flight operations, leaving passengers stranded across several airports.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, NCAA Director-General Chris Najomo acknowledged the impact of the strike on travellers and other stakeholders, but urged the unions to “sheathe their swords and exercise restraint” pending the minister’s return. According to the NCAA, Keyamo has been actively engaged in resolving the matter.

The regulator said the dispute could have been addressed at a meeting called by the minister last week, but the effort collapsed when airline operators did not honour the invitation.

“The matter would have been addressed at the meeting convened by the Honourable Minister last week, but the meeting could not be held as the airline operators failed to honour the invitation,” the NCAA stated.

The unions have grounded operations at Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest carrier, as part of their campaign to press home their demands, compounding the distress for passengers already caught in the crossfire between labour and airline management.

While travellers remained stranded at terminal buildings, the NCAA appealed to all sides to return to the negotiating table. Najomo said, “We appeal to all parties to embrace dialogue and cooperation. We are confident that the matter will be resolved shortly and normal flight operations will resume as soon as practicable.”

The authority also sought to reassure the public that the industrial action had not compromised aviation safety, adding that it remained fully committed to its regulatory oversight duties.

“The NCAA assures the travelling public that flight safety remains uncompromised, and that the Authority continues to exercise its statutory safety oversight responsibilities,” Najomo said. “The NCAA, however, regrets the inconvenience caused to passengers and appreciates their patience and understanding.”

Air Peace, in a separate statement on Tuesday, described the disruption as temporary and apologised to passengers whose travel plans had been affected. The airline said passengers scheduled to travel later in the day were being contacted with updates as the situation evolved.

“Air Peace sincerely apologises to all affected and stranded passengers for the disruption and inconvenience caused by circumstances beyond the airline’s control,” the statement read in part. “Passengers scheduled to travel later today are being contacted and provided with relevant updates as the situation evolves. Air Peace continues to closely monitor developments and will provide further updates as necessary. We appreciate the patience and understanding of our passengers as we navigate this situation.”