Workers at the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) have suspended their indefinite strike until May 13, 2025, following the intervention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo. The strike, which had lasted only 48 hours, disrupted flight operations across the country before it was paused to allow time for negotiations.
The decision was announced in a statement by Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister. According to the statement, the unions involved—the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP)—agreed to halt the industrial action in response to the minister’s appeal and commitment to resolve their grievances.
NUATE General Secretary, Comrade Aba Ocheme, described the suspension as a recognition of the minister’s sincerity, adding that the unions would be closely monitoring how the promises are implemented. ANAP President, Comrade Alale Adedayo, also expressed confidence in the minister’s readiness to address the issues through dialogue.
The strike was triggered by unresolved demands relating to poor working conditions, pay disparities, and the exclusion of over 30 NiMet employees from the 2019 minimum wage adjustments. The unions also called for a 25–35% salary increase, hardship and peculiar allowances of 40%, and the reinstatement of regular training programmes.
In response, Minister Keyamo assured that he would personally engage with the President and the Minister of Finance to fast-track the financial aspects of the demands. He also announced the formation of a ministerial committee headed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Ibrahim Kana, to work with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and the Ministry of Labour toward resolving the issues.
Keyamo emphasized the critical role of industrial harmony in the aviation sector and praised the unions for choosing to pause the strike in favour of dialogue. Dr. Kana also pledged that visible progress would be made before the May 13 deadline, urging all parties to remain cooperative.
The suspension of the strike has brought relief to airlines and travellers, many of whom were affected by the brief shutdown. During the two-day stoppage, some airlines grounded operations due to the lack of NiMet’s essential weather monitoring services, while others raised ticket prices, triggering concerns about safety and affordability. With the strike on hold, operations are now gradually returning to normal across Nigeria’s aviation sector.
