Operations at airports across Nigeria may be disrupted from Wednesday as workers of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency prepare to begin a nationwide protest over the alleged failure of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency to remit statutory revenue owed to the agency.

The planned industrial action was announced by the NiMet Unions Joint Action Committee, which accused NAMA of failing to remit the statutory 10 per cent share of en-route and overflight charges due to NiMet.

NiMet personnel play a critical role in Nigeria’s aviation sector by providing weather forecasts and meteorological briefings to pilots before take-off and landing, helping to ensure safe flight operations.

The notice, jointly signed by the secretaries of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals, and the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies, directed members to embark on a peaceful nationwide protest beginning at 6:00 am on Wednesday across all NiMet offices nationwide.

The unions said the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development had previously intervened in the dispute by directing NAMA to remit the outstanding statutory funds owed to NiMet within 48 hours. However, they alleged that the agency failed to comply with the directive.

The notice stated, “You may recall that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development intervened to proffer a lasting solution due to the persistent failure of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency to remit 10 per cent of en-route and overflight charges to NiMet, even after the minister’s intervention directing NAMA to pay NiMet within 48hrs and as at the time of this notice, NAMA management did not honour the directives.”

The unions accused NAMA of jeopardising workers’ welfare and hampering the effective operations of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency.

The notice reads, “This deliberate act from NAMA has paralyzed the operational activities within the Aerodrome and staff welfarism.”

The unions said the decision to proceed with the nationwide protest was taken during a Joint Union Congress meeting held on June 15, where members resolved to escalate the dispute if the outstanding payment was not remitted within one week.

One of the resolutions read, “That management should inform the minister of NAMA’s failure to heed the minister’s decision.” The unions further warned that workers had exhausted their patience, adding that “Within the period of one week, if nothing is done staff will be left with no option than to proceed on a Nationwide protest.”

Although the unions described the action as a peaceful protest, it could significantly disrupt aviation operations nationwide, given NiMet’s critical role in providing weather information for flight planning, aircraft dispatch, take-off, and landing.

The workers added that copies of the protest notice had been forwarded to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, as well as the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet.