The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has called 13 domestic carriers to an emergency meeting in Abuja after a wave of complaints about flight delays, last-minute cancellations and poor treatment of passengers.

The session, slated for Wednesday at the NCAA headquarters, was announced by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, in a statement on his official X handle. He said the regulator will confront airlines over persistent schedule disruptions, weak passenger care and unresolved refund claims. 

The agenda also includes enforcing safety directives, such as switching off phones during flights, protecting airline staff and NCAA officials from passenger aggression, and fast-tracking technology upgrades like RFID baggage tags and real-time flight monitoring.

The summons follows an uptick in unruly behaviour at airports, which the authority says is often triggered by operators flouting the rules.

Achimugu noted that some flights are cancelled late at night without providing accommodation or welfare, leaving NCAA consumer-protection officers to handle agitated crowds and exposing staff to risk. 

He warned that repeated offenders could be publicly named and sanctioned, adding that the authority will apply the full weight of its regulations where infractions occur.

A day before announcing the meeting, the NCAA reminded airlines of their obligations under Part 19 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, which require carriers to provide hotel accommodation for stranded passengers between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. in the event of delays or cancellations. The rules also set out compensation and refund procedures.

While acknowledging the operational headwinds domestic airlines face, Achimugu said compliance with passenger-rights provisions is non-negotiable if operators want to retain credibility with the flying public. 

The outcome of Wednesday’s meeting is expected to signal a tougher enforcement push aimed at strengthening consumer protection and restoring confidence in Nigeria’s domestic aviation market.