22 Years After Liquidation, Federal Govt Pays N18bn To 2,700 Ex-Nigeria Airways Workers

Twenty-two years after the liquidation of Nigeria Airways Limited, the Federal Government has commenced payment of N18 billion in outstanding severance benefits to 2,700 former workers of the defunct national carrier.

The Federal Ministry of Finance, in a statement yesterday, said payments had been completed for 2,100 former workers covered by Batches One to Seven, while the remaining 600 beneficiaries under Batches Eight and Nine were being finalised and expected to receive their entitlements within days.

The development is expected to bring relief to former Nigeria Airways workers and their families, many of whom have waited for more than two decades for payment of their outstanding benefits.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier approved the payment of the severance benefits and directed that the long-standing matter be brought to a conclusion.

Under the direction of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, the ministry said it embarked on processes to identify eligible beneficiaries, validate records and establish the government’s financial obligations.

The processes subsequently paved the way for payments to the first seven batches, while arrangements for the payment of beneficiaries in Batches Eight and Nine have been concluded.

Commenting on the development, Oyedele said the payment demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing legitimate outstanding obligations and prioritising the welfare of Nigerians.

“Behind these figures are people and families who have waited for years to receive what is legitimately due to them. Our responsibility is to confront outstanding obligations, complete the necessary processes and, once the resources are secured, ensure that the people affected feel the impact of government positively,” he said.

The minister said the exercise also demonstrated what could be achieved when government institutions worked together to resolve longstanding issues.

He added that the objective was to ensure that legitimate beneficiaries received their approved entitlements while maintaining safeguards around public funds.

The ministry acknowledged the collaboration of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, whose engagement with the Ministry of Finance, it said, helped sustain the process and advance efforts towards resolving the matter.

The payment process involved extensive verification of beneficiary records, including biometric capture and validation of personal and banking information, to ensure that the funds were paid to the rightful beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, the Director in charge of the Presidential Initiative and Continuous Audit (PICA) Department, Seldam Dangin, said the ministry was preparing a second phase, or mop-up exercise, to capture beneficiaries whose records could not be processed during the first phase.

Dangin said the exercise would focus on updating inaccurate or outdated information, carrying out additional biometric verification where necessary and correcting banking details.

He added that the mop-up exercise would also address cases involving deceased beneficiaries, with their next of kin or estates required to complete the necessary verification and legal processes before payment.

The mop-up exercise is expected to commence by the end of September or early October, subject to the conclusion of final arrangements.