• Super Admin
• 08 Mar, 2026

The union confirmed that an agreement regarding the Enugu Airport concession protects workers, ensuring they remain FAAN employees with full benefits. The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has officially called for the federal government to reconsider the 50% deduction of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from key aviation agencies. Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday, NUATE National President Comrade Ben Nnabue argued that while recent developments in the industry are commendable, the current TSA policy restricts the funds necessary to manage airports and upgrade infrastructure to international standards. Nnabue specifically identified the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) as the bodies most impacted. He emphasized that since world-class airports are typically government-built, the agencies need to retain more of their earnings to transition Nigeria's aviation facilities into the global ecosystem. Beyond funding, the union highlighted improvements in the Condition of Service (CoS) for workers. Negotiations have been signed off for major agencies and airlines including Emirates, Ethiopian, SAHCO, and NAHCO. However, Nnabue raised concerns regarding the freedom of association, urging certain airlines to stop denying workers the right to join unions. He warned that "bottled up" workers who cannot speak out create significant security and safety risks within the airport system. The Bottom Line is that while Nigeria's airports are seeing a visual rebrand, the workers' union believes the financial engine behind these facilities is being stalled by the 50% IGR deduction. For NUATE, the path to a world-class aviation sector requires both the financial freedom to build and the labor freedom for workers to speak up without fear. Source: https://bizwatchnigeria.ng/nuate-aviation-igr-tsa-review-labor-rights-2026/