The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has temporarily suspended the enforcement of its “No Pay, No Service” directive against airlines with outstanding statutory remittances, citing current operational challenges in the industry.
The Director-General of NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Lagos.
Najomo said the decision followed extensive consultations and a review of prevailing challenges affecting airline operations, particularly the rising cost of aviation fuel.
He stressed that the suspension should not be seen as a cancellation, waiver, or forgiveness of debts, adding that affected airlines remain fully responsible for settling all outstanding statutory obligations.
The NCAA recalled that President Bola Tinubu had earlier approved a 30 percent discount on outstanding fees owed by domestic airlines to aviation agencies, including the NCAA.
Najomo said the discount was part of efforts to cushion the impact of rising Jet A1 fuel prices on operators.
He added that the intervention formed part of broader Federal Government support for airline operations and sector stability.
The Director-General stated that NCAA would continue to engage airlines individually through structured repayment arrangements to ensure debt recovery while supporting industry sustainability.
Najomo explained that the five percent Ticket and Cargo Sales Charge is a mandatory statutory component under the Civil Aviation Act.
“The Ticket and Cargo Sales Charge is a statutory component of the aviation system in Nigeria, required by the Civil Aviation Act and embedded in the cost of air travel and cargo services,” he said.
“It is collected by airlines at the point of ticket and cargo sales on behalf of the aviation ecosystem and must be remitted to the NCAA. It is not part of the airlines’ operating profit or revenue.
“These funds are not retained by one institution but are shared among the regulator (NCAA) and key aviation service providers to sustain safe, efficient, and internationally compliant aviation operations.”
He emphasised that NCAA operates on a cost-recovery basis without direct Federal Government funding for its regulatory functions, making timely remittances critical.
Najomo described the temporary suspension as a measured approach to prevent disruptions while efforts continue toward full recovery of outstanding obligations.
The authority maintained that the decision balanced regulatory enforcement with the need for stability and uninterrupted operations in the aviation sector.
It was earlier reported that the NCAA, in an internal memo dated May 22, had placed 11 domestic airlines on its “No-Pay-No-Service” list over unpaid charges.
The affected airlines are: Air Peace Ltd., Ibom Air, Arik Air Ltd., United Nigeria Airlines, Umza Air, NG Eagle, Max Air Limited, Caverton Helicopters, Overland Airways, Rano Air, and ValueJet.
