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Air travel in Nigeria was thrown into disarray on Thursday as a strike by weather forecasters cancelled numerous flights, leaving scores of passengers stranded across the country.
Employees of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) began an indefinite strike earlier in the week, citing poor working conditions and demanding immediate improvements.
The industrial action forced at least two domestic airlines, including Nigeria’s largest carrier, Air Peace, to cancel all scheduled domestic flights for the day.
“We regret to inform you that due to the unresolved industrial action by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), all our domestic flight operations have been officially cancelled until further notice,” Air Peace announced in a post on X in response to a customer enquiry.
According to its official website, Air Peace operates over 20 domestic routes, 10 regional routes, and several international destinations, including Europe.
An official from another domestic carrier, NG Eagle, told AFP that there was no assurance that operations would resume on Friday, further deepening the uncertainty faced by travellers.
While some local airlines were able to operate flights on Thursday morning, the disruption was widespread. A source at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport confirmed to AFP that international airlines had continued flying on Wednesday night.
The strike has drawn criticism from legal and public affairs commentators. Commercial law expert Ifeanyi Ejiofor blamed government inaction for the situation, describing it as “negligence and complacency” that led to a dangerous breakdown in aviation operations.
“This is not just irresponsible—it is a dangerous dereliction of duty,” he wrote in a social media post. “The cascading effect has been immediate and devastating: flight disruptions, stranded passengers, halted business engagements, and enormous financial losses.”
Nigeria’s aviation minister, Festus Keyamo, was expected to meet with the striking NiMet workers on Thursday to resolve the impasse, according to local media reports.
