The Federal Government has called for more stringent penalties on airlines to curb frequent flight delays and cancellations, which continue to frustrate passengers across Nigeria.
Hadiza Bala-Usman, Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, made the appeal during a performance review meeting in Abuja. She urged the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, alongside the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), to take tougher actions to ensure passengers are better protected.
Highlighting inefficiencies in the sector, Bala-Usman criticised the 224-day timeline currently set for resolving passenger complaints, describing it as both impractical and inconsistent with global best practices. She stressed the urgency of revising the system to prioritize quicker dispute resolution, which would significantly enhance passenger confidence.
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In response, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, acknowledged the concerns raised and praised the Consumer Protection Directorate for its commitment to addressing passenger issues.
Keyamo pledged to improve service delivery by enforcing stricter compliance measures and initiating reforms aimed at transforming the aviation sector.
The government’s renewed focus on protecting passengers and holding airlines accountable comes as a result of growing frustration over service failures in Nigeria’s aviation industry.
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