Tinubu Initiates N18 Billion Payment for Ex-Nigeria Airways Workers

President Bola Tinubu has commenced the payment of N18 billion in outstanding severance benefits to 2,700 former employees of Nigeria Airways Limited (NAL), addressing a 22-year delay since the airline's liquidation in 2004. The airline, established in 1958, was once a prestigious employer but faced decline due to corruption and mismanagement, leading to its closure under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo's administration.

Following the liquidation, former workers protested for years, with many suffering extreme poverty and health issues while waiting for their entitlements. In September 2017, the Federal Executive Council, under President Muhammadu Buhari, approved ₦45 billion for their benefits, but bureaucratic delays hindered disbursement.

In 2018, a partial payment of ₦22.68 billion was made, but the remaining balance was only recently addressed by President Tinubu. The payments are being distributed in nine batches, finally bringing closure to the long struggle of the former workers, many of whom have died during the wait.