FG Pays 2,700 Ex-Nigeria Airways Workers N18bn

The Federal Government has paid ₦18 billion to 2,700 former employees of the defunct Nigeria Airways as part of efforts to settle outstanding entitlements owed to the retirees.

The payment represents another step in the government’s long-running effort to clear financial obligations to former workers of the national carrier, which was liquidated after years of financial and operational difficulties.

The affected retirees have waited for years for the settlement of their outstanding benefits, with successive administrations taking measures to address liabilities inherited from the defunct airline.

The latest payment is expected to provide relief to the beneficiaries, many of whom have spent years pursuing the release of their entitlements.

The Federal Government’s intervention in the Nigeria Airways workers’ pension and severance obligations dates back several years. Previous payments were made following verification exercises conducted to establish eligible beneficiaries and determine outstanding liabilities.

The government has continued to work through relevant pension and aviation authorities to address claims by former employees and ensure that verified beneficiaries receive payments due to them.

The latest disbursement also underscores the continuing financial obligations associated with the liquidation of Nigeria Airways, which ceased operations in 2003 after decades as Nigeria’s national carrier.

Former Nigeria Airways workers have repeatedly called for the settlement of their outstanding entitlements, with delays in payment creating financial difficulties for many retirees and their families.

The ₦18 billion disbursement is expected to ease some of those concerns while bringing additional beneficiaries into the group of former workers whose claims have been settled.

The government has previously described the payment of inherited pension and retirement liabilities as part of its broader commitment to addressing the welfare of retirees and clearing outstanding obligations owed by defunct government agencies.

For the beneficiaries, the latest payment marks an important development in the prolonged effort to resolve financial commitments arising from the airline’s closure.

The Federal Government is expected to continue addressing verified claims as efforts to settle outstanding obligations to former Nigeria Airways employees progress.