Posted by Chinenye on Fri 10th Apr, 2026 - tori.ng
The long-suffering pensioners of the defunct Nigeria Airways remain trapped in a "bureaucratic Bermuda Triangle," according to aviation expert Chris Aligbe.
Chris Aligbe, an aviation expert, has tracked the protracted dispute over Nigerian Airways seniors' pensions through several governments, claiming differing degrees of dedication and execution delays.
Speaking on Channels Television's Morning Brief, Aligbe claimed that while previous President Muhammadu Buhari expressed interest and authorized moves toward entitlement payment, former President Goodluck Jonathan made little headway on the issue.
“When President Jonathan came, he did absolutely nothing until Buhari came. He was passionate about Nigerian Airways and approved payments.”
He also noted that earlier efforts under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua saw approval for terminal benefits, but implementation was reportedly hindered by administrative and financial bottlenecks from the finance minister, Kemi Adeosun.
He claimed,"Yahadua approved payment of terminal benefits on Nigeria Airways, but was hindered by Kemi Adeosun, the then Financial Minister, who didn't care one bit." According to him, although Buhari demonstrated concern and reduced public agitation over the issue, full resolution was not achieved before the end of his tenure.
Aligbe further stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu also approved steps toward addressing the pensioners’ claims, but said progress has been slowed at the level of the Ministry of Finance, headed by Wale Edun.
“Buhari was passionate about it, hence no protest was made. Then Tinubu came in and approved it because he was passionate about it and Festus Keyamo did all he could to make sure it was pushed. “But presently, it is stuck at the Minister of Finance, headed by Wale Edun, and nothing has been done for over 8 months since the approval was passed.”
He claimed that despite presidential permissions, implementation has been held for months, placing pensioners in constant worry.
The aviation expert urged immediate action to end the long-running conflict and assure payment of all overdue benefits to affected former Nigerian Airways employees.