By ebosele@hotmail.com –
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed United Nigeria Airlines to improve its flight operations, strictly comply with passenger rights regulations and suspend further route expansion until its fleet capacity can adequately support its existing network.
The directive was issued by the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Capt. Chris Najomo, during a consultative meeting with the airline’s management at the NCAA Corporate Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
Najomo said the NCAA’s regulatory framework was not designed to drive airlines out of business, but to ensure sustainable, efficient and lawful operations in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
He warned United Nigeria Airlines against expanding its operations beyond available capacity at the expense of passengers, particularly amid recent operational disruptions that left travellers stranded without adequate communication or assistance.
The DGCA stressed that airlines must maintain operational capacity capable of supporting the routes they serve and meet their obligations to passengers.
Also speaking, the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, expressed concern over what he described as the airline’s systematic failure to comply with prescribed operational and consumer protection requirements under Part 19 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs), 2023.
Achimugu criticised the airline’s handling of passenger communications, particularly updates on flight delays and ticket refunds.
He described the recent disruptions as “gross” and warned that the NCAA would no longer tolerate what he characterised as brazen disregard for regulatory requirements.
Similarly, the Director, Operations, Licensing and Training Standards, Capt. Donald Spiff, directed the airline to scale down its active routes whenever it experiences an Aircraft-On-Ground (AOG) situation.
Spiff also cautioned the carrier to comply strictly with established regulatory procedures before opening new destinations.
Responding to the NCAA’s directive, United Nigeria Airlines apologised for the disruptions and pledged to clear all pending ticket refund cases within 14 days, in line with the official refund timeline.
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