Nigeria pays N18bn in severance arrears to former Airways staff

The Nigerian Federal Government has paid N18 billion in outstanding severance benefits to 2,100 former employees of the defunct national carrier, Nigeria Airways. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, announced that the payments cover beneficiaries in batches one through seven.

An additional 600 beneficiaries are expected to receive payments in the coming days, bringing the total number of covered former workers to 2,700. Oyedele noted that many employees had been waiting for these entitlements for over two decades following the liquidation of the airline, with some passing away before receiving their dues.

To ensure the legitimacy of the disbursements, the government implemented an extensive verification process involving biometric capture and the validation of personal and banking information. The ministry is also working to settle other inherited obligations, including verified pension arrears and debts owed to indigenous contractors, with a new policy prioritizing smaller contractors owed N100 million or less.