The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has ordered its directorates to suspend services to 11 domestic airlines.
The affected operators have been placed on an updated “No-Pay-No-Service” list due to unpaid statutory charges.
An internal memo by Olufemi Odukoya, Director of Finance and Accounts, ordered departments to withhold regulatory and administrative services until debts are cleared or repayment plans are agreed upon.
At the heart of the dispute are the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge and Cargo Sales Charge, which are funds collected by airlines on behalf of the NCAA to support safety oversight.
The directive was widely circulated across the authority’s regional offices and copied to the Director-General of Civil Aviation.
According to the memo, airlines affected by the directive include “Air Peace Limited, Ibom Air Limited, Arik Air Limited, United Nigeria Airlines, Umza Air, NG Eagle, Max Air Limited, Caverton Helicopters, Overland Airways, Rano Air and ValueJet.”
“We have directed that no directorate should render any service to the above airline without financial clearance from the director of finance and accounts,” NCAA said.