Nigeria’s civil aviation regulator has issued a direct threat to suspend the operational permit of Moroccan flag carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM), signalling a sharp escalation in the government’s enforcement drive against the mistreatment of Nigerian air travellers by foreign airlines.

The warning, issued by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), follows allegations of persistent consumer protection violations, unannounced baggage delays, and a deliberate failure to resolve passenger grievances in accordance with national aviation standards.

According to the regulator, Royal Air Maroc has emerged as one of the primary offenders regarding baggage handling infractions and poor customer resolution processes across its Nigerian operations.

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Detailing the authority’s stance, Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, revealed that the Moroccan carrier has repeatedly ignored official summonses and regulatory meetings convened at the NCAA headquarters in Abuja.

“The airline, Royal Air Maroc, has for the longest time been the biggest culprit when it comes to baggage infractions, poor passenger handling, and extremely poor resolution processes when dealing with Nigerian passengers,” Achimugu stated in an official declaration.

The NCAA noted that rather than sending executive decision-makers to regulatory hearings, the airline has routinely sent junior representatives without the operational authority to resolve claims or make binding commitments on behalf of the carrier.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.

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