The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has directed its directorates to suspend services to 11 domestic airlines, placing them on its updated “No-Pay-No-Service” list over unpaid statutory charges owed to the regulator.
The directive, contained in an internal memo dated May 22, 2026, and obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, ordered all NCAA departments to withhold regulatory and administrative services from the affected operators until they clear their outstanding debts or agree on repayment plans.
At the centre of the dispute are the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge and Cargo Sales Charge, funds collected by airlines on behalf of the NCAA to support safety oversight, personnel training and economic regulation within the aviation sector.
The memo also directed all directorates to suspend services to the affected airlines pending financial clearance from the Directorate of Finance and Accounts.
Signed by the Director of Finance and Accounts, Olufemi Odukoya, it was circulated across the authority’s regional offices and copied to the Director-General of Civil Aviation and other senior officials.
Airlines affected by the directive include “Air Peace Limited, Ibom Air Limited, Arik Air Limited, United Nigeria Airlines, Umza Air, NG Eagle, Max Air Limited, Caverton Helicopters, Overland Airways, Rano Air and ValueJet.”
The document stated that, “The DGCA has directed that no directorate should render any service to the above airline without financial clearance from the director of finance and account.”
Under the directive, affected airlines risk immediate interruptions in regulatory support, a development that has raised concerns among operators and passengers over possible operational delays and wider industry implications.
Akinlotan is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over eight years of experience reporting on politics, social justice, motoring, railways, and aviation. His work focuses on accountability, public interest, and social change, producing stories that inspire reform and amplify underrepresented voices. Akinlotan’s reporting reflects extensive newsroom experience, editorial insight, and a strong commitment to accurate, impact-driven journalism.
