The strike by unions in the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has been suspended until May 13, 2025, following the intervention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
The suspension was announced after a high-level meeting between the Minister and leaders of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), and other key stakeholders.
Comrade Aba Ocheme, NUATE’s National Secretary, stated, “We have resolved to suspend the ongoing strike till May 13, 2025, in recognition of the Honourable Minister’s timely and sincere intervention.”
ANAP’s National President, Comrade Alale Adedayo, added that the strike was suspended as a mark of respect and in anticipation of progress on the issues raised.
The strike, which had grounded flights and disrupted operations across airports in Nigeria, was triggered by demands for improved welfare, including salary relativity, the implementation of the 2019 minimum wage adjustment, a 25/35% salary increase, 40% hardship allowances, and annual staff trainings.
In response, Keyamo pledged swift action. He said he would personally write to President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Finance to address pressing financial concerns. He also announced the establishment of a Ministerial Committee, led by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, to interface with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to resolve allowance-related matters.
Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest airline, had earlier suspended all operations nationwide, citing safety concerns due to the lack of real-time weather data from NiMet during the strike.
Keyamo praised the unions for their patriotism and commitment to dialogue, emphasizing the government’s dedication to ensuring industrial harmony and better conditions for NiMet staff and aviation workers.
The Permanent Secretary, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, assured stakeholders that tangible progress would be made before the May 13 deadline.
