The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has summoned 13 domestic airlines to an emergency meeting following mounting complaints of flight delays, cancellations, and growing incidents of unruly passenger behavior across the country’s airports.
The meeting, scheduled for Wednesday at the NCAA headquarters in Abuja, was confirmed by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, via his official X handle on Tuesday.
In recent weeks, passenger dissatisfaction has escalated, with violent outbursts reported at several airports. While some cases stemmed from passengers’ ignorance of aviation rules, NCAA noted that others were triggered by airlines deliberately circumventing regulations and neglecting passenger welfare.
Achimugu said the session will tackle pressing issues such as persistent delays and cancellations, passenger handling protocols, unresolved refund and compensation claims, welfare obligations, safety enforcement—including the phone switch-off directive—protection for cabin crew and NCAA officials, and the rollout of RFID baggage tagging and real-time flight monitoring technology.
The announcement comes barely 24 hours after the NCAA reiterated that airlines must comply with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, Part 19, which require carriers to provide hotel accommodation for stranded passengers between 10:00pm and 4:00am in cases of delay or cancellation.
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The authority also warned it would begin “naming and shaming” airlines that repeatedly flout aviation rules, particularly those that leave travelers stranded without support.
Achimugu expressed concern that NCAA consumer protection officers are often left to manage frustrated travelers in the absence of airline support, exposing officials to unnecessary risks.
“For infractions that are sanctionable, the Authority will apply the fullest measures possible. We will not abandon the letters of our regulations,” he warned.
While acknowledging the operational difficulties facing domestic carriers, Achimugu stressed that operators must meet regulatory standards if they wish to be regarded as world-class.