Flight operations across Nigeria have been severely disrupted as workers of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) enter the second day of industrial action over poor working conditions, with Air Peace taking the unprecedented step of suspending all nationwide operations.
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The strike, which began Wednesday morning at 7:00 AM, has left passengers stranded at major airports including Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, as meteorological services vital for flight safety have been withdrawn.
In a dramatic development captured on video obtained by Channels Television, Air Peace CEO Allen Onyema was heard ordering the immediate cancellation of all the airline’s flights, citing serious safety concerns.
“If NiMET has not called off the strike, cancel every Air Peace flight now with immediate effect. People’s lives and the safety of our equipment and our crew are foremost,” Onyema instructed a manager in an urgent phone call. “Look at the thunderstorm everywhere. Look at the kind of weather we are going into, and NiMET, which is supposed to provide these things, is on strike, and we are flying. Suspend all flights with immediate effect, until further notice, until that strike is over, safety first.”
The airline later confirmed this decision in an official statement signed by Ejike Ndiulo, Head of Corporate Communications: “Due to the ongoing NiMet strike and the unavailability of CNH (hazardous weather) reports required for safe landings, Air Peace has suspended all flight operations nationwide until the strike is over. Your safety is our top priority.”
While Air Peace has taken this precautionary measure, reports indicate that several other domestic carriers, including XEJET, Aero Contractors, and Ibom Air continued operations as scheduled on Wednesday. However, international airlines including British Airways and Qatar Airways have reportedly complied with international aviation regulations by suspending their flights.
Paul Ogohi, secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, criticised domestic airlines continuing to operate without proper meteorological services: “Other international airlines have parked and are keeping strictly to the regulations of ICAO… But the problem we are facing is with Nigerian airlines and their pilots. These rules are meant to govern aviation operations, but we, the locals, are the ones violating these standards.”
The striking workers have highlighted significant disparities in compensation compared to similar agencies in the aviation sector. According to union representatives, management staff at NiMET earn approximately N470,000 while counterparts in sister agencies earn up to N1.2 million for comparable positions.
“The situation is bad for us here in NiMET,” explained a union member identified as Mr. John. “We provide more sensitive services than even our sister agency, but our welfare package is so poor that it cannot cover transportation, rent, or even our children’s school fees.”
Uzor Oluchi, National Deputy President of the National Union of Air Transport Employees, provided further details on the wage disparity: “A level 4 NiMET staff is collecting N31,000 despite the minimum wage that the Federal Government is giving.”
The union representatives also raised alarming concerns about the health implications of current working conditions, claiming that “nearly 70 percent of our staff forecasters have high blood pressure” and describing “unprecedented deaths” among NiMET employees.
The strike has highlighted the critical importance of meteorological services to aviation safety. NiMET provides essential weather forecasting and hazardous condition reports that airlines rely on for safe takeoffs and landings, particularly during inclement weather.
Aviation experts warn that if the strike continues, more airlines may be forced to suspend operations as weather conditions change, potentially resulting in widespread disruption to Nigeria’s air transport network.
In response to the crisis, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had scheduled a meeting with the protesting unions for today (Thursday). NiMET management expressed optimism about resolving the dispute, stating: “Management is not relenting in reaching an amicable resolution with the unions so that normal services will be restored.”
The high-level meeting brought together NiMET Director General, officials from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and representatives from multiple aviation unions including the National Union of Transport Employees, Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals, and other key stakeholders.
Following a brief opening session, participants moved into closed-door negotiations, seeking to resolve the labour dispute that has grounded numerous flights and stranded passengers across the country’s major airports.
The industrial action has significantly impacted operations at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, and other airports nationwide, leaving travellers facing extended delays and cancellations as airlines struggle to operate without crucial meteorological services.
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