NiMet workers’ strike disrupts flights, FG meets unions today

On Wednesday, Nigerian Meteorological Agency employees protested at the airports in Lagos, Abuja, and Kano, disrupting flight operations.

Air Peace did not operate as planned at the Lagos airport, although XEJET, Aero Contractors, and Ibom Air did.

Air Peace said in a statement on its X account that it had to halt operations after the NiMet employees' strike.

The airline's Head of Corporate Communications, Ejike Ndiulo, signed the statement, which read, "Air Peace has suspended all flight operations nationwide until the strike is over due to the ongoing NiMet strike and the unavailability of CNH (hazardous weather) reports required for safe landings.

“Your safety is our top priority. We appreciate your understanding and will share updates as the situation unfolds.”

To tackle the problem, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, asked for a meeting with members of the protesting NiMet unions. The meeting is expected to be place today (Thursday).

At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the strike officially commenced at 7:00 am on Wednesday, with NiMet staff and union members seen walking around the premises

Additionally, it was learned that several staff members stayed overnight on the agency's property in order to impose a total shutdown.

After NiMet employees protested the non-implementation of the new national minimum wage on Wednesday, several passengers were left stranded at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano State.

Several scheduled planes at the airport had delays as a result of the protest. According to an airport employee who talked on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue, the protest caused several flight disruptions, causing the airport administration to postpone or cancel flights.

As you are aware, weather determines flights, and NiMet is the organization that gives pilots weather information. Therefore, he said, "the protest has affected numerous flights, even though certain flight operations are still running."

It was learned that the protest caused delays on many flights, leaving many passengers stranded.

The Northwest Zonal Chairman of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees, Timothy Meshelia, also confirmed that the protest halted numerous planes at the airport on Wednesday.

"Among other things, the protesting employees are accusing NiMet's management of not implementing the N30,000 and N70,000 minimum wage, not paying staff allowances, disregarding pleas to include staff who were left out of previous payments, and skipping important training programs.

He said, "The management has been given a month by the association to adopt the new minimum wage or face industrial action."

A senior NiMet management employee, who asked not to be identified, expressed annoyance at the unions' choice to stop working in spite of continuous attempts to meet their requests.

"The management is dissatisfied with the unions' tough stance while some of the contentious topics have been settled and others are still being worked out. When the unions served management with a notice of strike, management responded by outlining all the problems and their current situation, the official said.

“Management is not relenting in reaching an amicable resolution with the unions so that normal services will be restored. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, who has been supportive, has scheduled a meeting with all the parties on Thursday, April 24, 2025. We are hopeful that the unions will listen to reason. No one bites off his nose to spite his face,” the official stated.

The National Union of Air Transport Employees' National Deputy President, Uzor Oluchi, expressed disapproval of the subpar working conditions NiMet employees endure.

The welfare of NiMet staff is very poor. In fact, if you come to the aviation industry, NiMet staff are paid less. As I’m talking to you, a level 4 NiMet staff is collecting N31,000 despite the minimum wage that the Federal Government is giving,” she claimed.