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The Nigerian Government has begun paying ₦18 billion in outstanding severance benefits to 2,100 former workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited, more than two decades after the national carrier was liquidated.
The Ministry of Finance disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying it had completed payments to 2,100 beneficiaries across Batches 1 to 7.
It added that another 600 beneficiaries under Batches 8 and 9 were being finalised for payment in the coming days.
The development followed President Bola Tinubu’s approval to settle outstanding severance obligations owed to former Nigeria Airways workers.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the payment reflected the government’s commitment to addressing legitimate outstanding obligations to Nigerians.
“Behind these figures are people and families who have waited for years to receive what is legitimately due to them,” Oyedele said.
“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.”
The minister said the exercise showed what government institutions can achieve when they work together to resolve longstanding issues while maintaining appropriate safeguards in managing public funds.
Verification precedes payment
The ministry said the payment process involved extensive verification of beneficiaries’ records, including biometric capture and validation of personal and banking information.
It said the measures were introduced to ensure that the funds reached legitimate beneficiaries and prevent errors or fraudulent claims.
The Director of the Presidential Initiative and Continuous Audit Department, Seldam Dangin, said the ministry was also preparing a second-phase mop-up exercise for eligible beneficiaries whose records could not be processed during the first phase.
According to him, the exercise would involve updating inaccurate or outdated information, conducting additional biometric verification where necessary and correcting banking details.
It will also cover cases involving deceased beneficiaries, with their next of kin or estates required to complete the relevant verification and legal processes before payment.
The mop-up exercise is expected to begin by the end of September or early October, subject to final arrangements being completed.
Aviation stakeholders commended
The ministry acknowledged the contributions of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and the National Assembly Joint Committees on Aviation to efforts to resolve the outstanding payments.
It also recognised the Senate Committee on Aviation, chaired by Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, and the House Committee on Aviation, chaired by Hon. Abdullahi Idris Garba, for their oversight and engagement on the matter.
The Nigerian Government said payments to beneficiaries in the first seven batches, alongside preparations for Batches 8 and 9, marked a significant step toward resolving the longstanding severance obligations owed to former Nigeria Airways workers.
It added that the planned mop-up exercise would provide an opportunity to address outstanding cases and bring more eligible beneficiaries into the payment process.
