Nigerian airports were shut down on Monday as TUC, NLC, and aviation unions went on strike, preventing airlines from operating and halting all airport activities.
The strike by Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and aviation unions resulted in an estimated loss of over ₦1 billion in revenue for nine indigenous airline operators, ground handling companies, and catering organizations.
At Lagos and Abuja airports, checked-in passengers were forced to leave by union members and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) staff. At Murtala Muhammed Airport Two (MMA2), TUC members attempted to disrupt operations but were prevented from accessing airline counters by Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL).
At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) staff blocked Air Peace and other domestic airlines from boarding passengers, locking the gates and halting operations.
International and regional flights operated normally on Monday, but unions warned that international flights would be suspended from Tuesday, in line with their earlier statement.
FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs, Mrs. Obiageli Orah, assured safety and security at all airports, while Capt. Ado Sanusi, CEO of Aero Contractors, expressed regret over the disruptions, but reported that their Lagos-Abuja flight operated as scheduled.
Sanusi sympathized with Nigerian workers but noted that strikes are becoming less popular globally. He warned that if the situation persists, the economy may suffer further, leading to job losses and livelihoods being affected.
Sanusi revealed that Aero Contractors lost hundreds of millions in revenue on Monday due to the strike, urging both parties to resolve the issue quickly to avoid further damage to the economy. He said: “Any strike by organised labour costs us a lot of money… we lost hundreds of millions in revenue.”
He emphasized that industrial actions are becoming less popular globally, stating: “Worldwide, industrial actions are losing popularity because it kills the economy and it should be the last resort.”
Arik Air’s spokesman, Adebanji Ola, confirmed that the airline was grounded on Monday, but stated that they were ready to operate flights and transport passengers if the unions allowed it, provided that passengers were also available and willing to travel.
Arik Air’s spokesman, Adebanji Ola, said: “We were not able to operate any flight yet, but if the unions vacate the gates and there are passengers, we would operate our flights. Provided the passengers are there, but if there are no passengers we can’t operate empty.” Meanwhile, a source close to Air Peace revealed that the airline cancelled 90% of its daily flights, which amounts to about 90 out of 100 flights, with the majority being local routes.
Air Peace’s regional and international flights operated normally, but domestic flights were cancelled. FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs, Mrs. Obiageli Orah, ensured that security measures were in place to maintain order and confirmed that international flights were unaffected, appealing to the unions to embrace President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
FAAN’s Director, Mrs. Obiageli Orah, stated: “We have our security people on ground to ensure security is not compromised.” She appealed for patience, saying: “If Nigerians can be patient with Mr. President, we would see the result of all those decisions…
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The President doesn’t go back on his words.” She noted that the economic crisis is a global issue, saying: “The current crisis is a worldwide issue and there is no country in the world that is immune from the crises, yet they are making efforts to resolve them.”
Ibom Air announced that it cancelled all scheduled flights on Monday and suspended operations until further notice, apologizing for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
