By Ayomide Otitoju
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended its previously enforced “no pay, no service” directive against local airlines.
The decision follows an internal memo dated May 22, 2026, which had instructed all NCAA directorates to withdraw services from affected operators pending financial clearance from the Directorate of Finance and Accounts.
At the centre of the dispute are the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge and Cargo Sales Charge, which airlines collect on behalf of the NCAA to fund safety oversight, personnel training, and economic regulation in the aviation sector.
The suspended directive had warned that airlines failing to remit the statutory charges risked immediate disruptions in regulatory support, raising concerns among operators over potential flight delays and wider industry impact.
Director-General of the NCAA, Chris Najomo, said the regulator recognises the economic challenges facing airlines but stressed that the agency must safeguard its financial stability to maintain effective oversight.
He noted that delays or non-remittance of statutory charges could undermine the authority’s ability to sustain safety supervision, risk-based surveillance, and compliance with international aviation standards.
The memo had stated that no directorate should render services to the affected airlines without clearance from the Directorate of Finance and Accounts.
The suspension is expected to ease tensions between the regulator and domestic carriers while discussions continue on revenue remittance compliance within the sector.
