Flight activities were thrown into disarray across several major Nigerian airports on Wednesday as employees of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) began a nationwide strike. The industrial action, which started early in the day, affected air travel in Lagos, Abuja, and Kano, leaving many passengers stranded and prompting airlines to cancel or delay scheduled flights.
At Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, operations by XEJET, Aero Contractors, and Ibom Air continued, but Air Peace halted all its flights. In a message shared via its official X (formerly Twitter) account, Air Peace said the strike had made it impossible to receive essential weather reports, which are critical for flight safety.
“Due to the ongoing NiMet strike and the unavailability of CNH (hazardous weather) reports required for safe landings, Air Peace has suspended all flight operations nationwide until the strike is over. Your safety is our top priority. We appreciate your understanding and will share updates as the situation unfolds,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, the strike began promptly at 7:00 am, with union members seen picketing and walking around the premises in protest. Some NiMet staff reportedly spent the night at the agency’s offices to ensure that operations were completely shut down.
Similar scenes played out at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, where passengers faced long delays. An airport staff member, speaking anonymously, confirmed that several flights were disrupted due to the protest. “As you know, flights are determined by weather, and NiMet is the agency providing weather information to pilots,” the staffer noted.
Union leaders say the strike stems from multiple grievances, including the government’s failure to implement the new national minimum wage of N30,000 to N70,000, non-payment of staff allowances, and delays in including previously omitted employees in payment schedules. They also claim that critical training programs have been ignored by NiMet management.
Timothy Meshelia, the Northwest Zonal Chairman of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees, confirmed that workers were angry and determined to hold management accountable. “The association has given the management one month to implement the new minimum wage or face industrial action,” he stated.
NiMet’s management, however, expressed disappointment at the unions’ decision to strike, claiming that progress had been made on several of the issues raised. A senior official, who requested anonymity, said, “The management is disappointed with the hardline taken by the unions when some of the issues in dispute have been resolved, and others are in various stages of resolution.”
The same official questioned the timing and intention of the strike, stating that union leaders had recently praised NiMet for its worker-friendly approach. “This makes you wonder if there are other motives or if there are people bent on sabotaging management,” the source noted.
In response to the ongoing standoff, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has scheduled a meeting with union representatives for Thursday, April 24. The government is hopeful that dialogue will lead to a resolution and restore normal flight operations.
On the union side, the National Deputy President of the National Union of Air Transport Employees, Uzor Oluchi, pointed out the poor conditions faced by NiMet staff. “The welfare of NiMet staff is very poor. In fact, if you come to the aviation industry, NiMet staff are paid less. As I’m talking to you, a level 4 NiMet staff is collecting N31,000 despite the minimum wage that the Federal Government is giving,” she said.
