The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the implementation of its proposed “no pay, no service” enforcement against airlines owing statutory charges, citing the need to protect the fragile aviation sector from further operational strain.
The regulator in a statement on Monday said the temporary suspension followed broad consultations within the industry and growing concerns over the impact of soaring Jet A1 fuel prices on domestic airline operations.
NCAA clarified that the decision should not be interpreted as debt forgiveness or a waiver of statutory obligations owed by affected operators.
According to the authority, all airlines with outstanding remittances remain liable to settle their debts, adding that the agency would continue engagements with operators on a structured repayment process aimed at preserving industry stability.
The NCAA recalled that President Bola Tinubu had already approved a 30 per cent discount on debts owed by domestic airlines to aviation agencies as part of government intervention measures to cushion the effects of rising aviation fuel costs.
The authority also defended the collection of the 5 per cent Ticket and Cargo Sales Charge, describing it as a statutory levy established under the Civil Aviation Act and not part of airline earnings.
It explained that airlines merely collect the charge on behalf of the aviation system at the point of ticket and cargo sales and are expected to remit the funds accordingly.
The NCAA noted that proceeds from the charge are distributed among aviation agencies responsible for regulatory oversight, safety management and service delivery across the sector.
The regulator further explained that it operates without direct federal government funding for its day-to-day activities, relying largely on statutory charges to sustain critical oversight functions and ensure Nigeria’s compliance with international aviation standards.
The authority said the suspension of the enforcement directive was a measured response designed to avoid disruptions in airline operations while ensuring that outstanding obligations are eventually recovered.
It reaffirmed its commitment to balancing regulatory enforcement with the survival and stability of the aviation industry.
