The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has summoned 13 domestic airlines to an emergency meeting over persistent flight delays and cancellations that have left passengers stranded and furious across the country.
Michael Achimugu, the Authority’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, confirmed the meeting in a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday.
It is scheduled to be held on Wednesday at the NCAA headquarters in Abuja.
The regulatory body said the intervention follows mounting passenger complaints and a string of chaotic scenes at airports, many of which have turned violent.
While some disruptions are linked to passengers’ ignorance of aviation rules, the NCAA accused several airlines of deliberately bypassing regulations in order to deny travellers their rights.
READ MORE: NCAA Vows to Name, Shame Airlines Over Flight Cancellations, Delays
According to Achimugu, discussions will cover unresolved refund and compensation cases, late-night cancellations without hotel provisions, persistent delays, poor passenger management, enforcement of safety directives such as switching off phones, protection for aviation staff, and the planned rollout of RFID baggage tagging with real-time flight tracking.
Barely a day earlier, the NCAA had reminded operators of their obligations under Part 19 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, which requires airlines to provide accommodation for passengers stranded between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m.
The agency further warned it was ready to “name and shame” airlines that repeatedly flout these rules, stressing that operators often cancel flights at night and abandon travellers to the care of overstretched NCAA officials, exposing staff to unnecessary risks.
READ MORE: Phones Must Be Switched Off During Take-off, Landing — NCAA
Achimugu made it clear that the regulator will no longer overlook such violations. “For infractions that are sanctionable, the Authority will apply the fullest measures possible. We will not abandon the letters of our regulations,” he said.
Although the NCAA admitted that domestic carriers face challenges, the authority insisted that operators must meet minimum international standards if they want to be recognised as world-class.
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