The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has temporarily suspended enforcement of its “no pay, no service” directive for airlines with outstanding statutory remittances, citing ongoing consultations and severe operational pressures in the sector; particularly the case of soaring Jet A1 fuel costs that are straining carriers and threatening overall stability.
The regulator made it clear that the suspension is not a waiver or cancellation of debts (which it cannot authorize) and recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved a 30% discount on outstanding statutory charges as part of government relief measures. Airlines remain responsible for settling their liabilities.
NCAA has also said it will engage operators individually to arrange structured repayment plans so as to avoid disrupting services. The Authority also clarified that the 5% Ticket and Cargo Sales Charge is a statutory levy under the Civil Aviation Act, collected by airlines at sale on behalf of the aviation system and not airline revenue, with proceeds distributed among key aviation agencies. Because the NCAA operates on a cost-recovery basis and receives no routine federal funding, timely remittance of these charges is essential for sustaining regulatory and service functions. The temporary suspension is presented as a measured step to preserve operational stability while reinforcing the obligation to remit collected statutory funds.
