Aviation workers protest in Lagos. Photo: Stanley Ogidi Aviation workers in Nigeria have protested rising inflation and the growing use of casual labour in the sector, warning that worsening economic and operational conditions are eroding their welfare and threatening industry safety.
The National President of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Ogbe John, said that aviation workers are currently suffering under worsening economic and operational conditions, as the nation marked this year’s International Workers’ Day.
Addressing workers during the May 1 celebration, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria recalled the struggles of aviation workers who have continued to keep the sector running despite mounting hardship. He said, “Today, we stand together from the runway to the terminal to celebrate the hands and minds that keep Nigerians and the world flying.
When passengers sleep on the aircraft, the air traffic controller is awake. When families reunite at arrivals, it is because baggage handlers, cleaners, and check-in staff did their job.” He stressed that, from engineers working in difficult weather conditions to aviation security personnel standing for long hours, airport workers remain the backbone of the industry.
He described the workers as, “You all are the airport. Without you, there is no aviation. No takeoff. No landing. No connection.” The ATSSSAN president further said the reality for many workers is grim, as salaries fail to keep pace with inflation and the rising cost of living.
According to him, the economic strain has left many aviation professionals struggling quietly. He stated, “Our naira is still sick. Food prices go up daily, but salaries are not flying; they remain grounded. The aviators are suffering in silence. We demand a living wage that reflects the risks we take and the cost of living in 2026.” He also took a strong stance against the growing reliance on contract and casual labour within the aviation sector, describing it as a threat to both safety and workers’ dignity.
The union leader further raised alarm over the persistent crisis surrounding the cost and availability of Jet-A1 fuel, warning that the situation, exacerbated by global tensions, could cripple the aviation industry if not urgently addressed. He also called on the Federal Government to expedite the long-delayed payment of entitlements owed to former employees of the defunct Nigeria Airways, lamenting that many retirees have died waiting for their benefits.
His words, “The airport should be a no-go area for casual workers experimentation. Contract staffing must be systematically phased out. If there must be safety in the sky, there must be dignity of labour in the industry. “The perennial crisis of aviation fuel has become overwhelmingly worrisome.
We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure the immediate implementation of the approval granted.” Related News Xenophobia: Nigerians to return home as S’African attacks worsen Rice support: You’re politicising hardship, Atiku’s aide tells Remi Tinubu Nigeria’s debt to World Bank surged by $2.08bn in 2025 – Report He assured affected retirees that the union would continue to stand by them until justice is achieved.
The ATSSSAN president equally criticised organisations within the aviation sector that resist unionisation, insisting that workers have a constitutional right to belong to trade unions. “Unionisation is not a privilege; it is a right guaranteed by law. Aviators should not be made to beg to belong to a union.