Pilots may lack access to weather advisory as NIMET staff commence strike

Pilots operating international and local flights may be unable to access weather advisory for operations as the staff of Nigerian Meteorological (NiMet) commences strike action today over alleged failed agreements and Condition of Service (CoS).

With the start of the strike, Nimet would be unable to provide Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF), meteorological trend forecast, meteorological and climate information data collected across 56 synoptic stations and meteorological information not disseminated according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) recommended practises, among others.

So far, it is not clear if any scheduled flight has been affected as a result of the strike, but it may gradually affect smooth flight operations if not quickly addressed.

Flight Services may face massive disruption in the local and international scenes as from Tuesday, following an indefinite strike.

The strike, which is backed by three industry unions; National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), is threatening to cause flight delays and cancellations among domestic operators, while other aspects of the economy like environment, real estate and agriculture may also be affected.

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The unions in a circular to their members in the agency, said that they had strived strenuously over the past few years to alleviate the exceedingly unjust remunerations conundrum that had visited extremely poverty and consequent untold hardship on Nimet workers, but regretted that these efforts had no substantial result.

The unions also lamented that the agreements between the Nimet management and them since January 29, 2025 towards partial amelioration on the conditions had been breached.

The circular added: “In the light of management’s inability to address our given concerns and being that we can no longer continue to cope with present hardships and especially as the ultimatum given to the management has expired, we have no choice than to resume the suspended strike.

“Accordingly, all staff of Nimet nationwide are hereby directed to withdraw all service from the agency indefinitely with effect from midnight of Tuesday, April 22, 2025 without exception until otherwise directed.

Also, a memo by Nimet management, dated April 17, 2025 to airport managers, with the head: ‘Request for Heighten Security Awareness,’ and signed by Adedeji Sanwo-Olu, Nimet Manager, Lagos Airport, confirmed the planned indefinite strike.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

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.