The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has temporarily suspended its “No-Pay-No-Service” enforcement directive against domestic airlines over outstanding statutory remittances as earlier reported by Truth Live News, citing the need to protect operational stability within the country’s aviation industry.
The suspension was announced in a statement issued on Sunday evening by the Director-General of Civil Aviation, Captain Chris Najomo, and comes just two days after the NCAA directed its departments and regional offices to withhold services from 11 domestic operators over unpaid financial obligations, a directive contained in an internal memo dated May 22, 2026, signed by the Director of Finance and Accounts, Olufemi Odukoya.
According to Daily Post Nigeria, the suspension followed consultations with stakeholders and a review of the harsh operating realities confronting airlines, especially the rising cost of aviation fuel, also known as Jet A1.
However, the NCAA was emphatic that the suspension should not be misread as a debt forgiveness measure. The authority stressed that the suspension does not amount to a waiver, cancellation, or forgiveness of the debts owed by affected airlines, adding that operators remain fully responsible for settling all outstanding statutory obligations.
The NCAA said it will pursue structured engagements with airlines individually to ensure recovery in a manner that supports both compliance and sector stability.
The NCAA also noted that President Bola Tinubu had already approved a 30 percent discount on outstanding fees owed by domestic airlines to aviation agencies, including the NCAA itself, as part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to cushion the impact of high aviation fuel costs and stabilise the sector.
The eleven airlines originally placed on the No-Pay-No-Service list can now resume accessing regulatory services, at least temporarily, while structured repayment conversations begin.
Industry observers will be watching closely to see whether structured repayment plans materialise, or whether the episode becomes yet another cycle of debt accumulation without consequence.
