A United States-based aircraft broker and aviation consultant, Olufemi Adeniji, has called on the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to strengthen passenger protection measures and enforce stricter regulatory oversight of domestic airlines, following what he described as persistent operational disruptions across the country’s aviation sector.
Adeniji, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Nigame, an aircraft brokerage firm based in the United States, alleged that many domestic carriers continue to violate the rights of passengers in Nigeria with little consequence while regulatory intervention remains inadequate.
Speaking in Lagos at the weekend, Adeniji recounted his experience on a United Nigeria Airlines flight from Lagos to Asaba on 13 May, claiming that passengers were stranded at the airport for nearly 15 hours due to aircraft availability challenges.
According to him, the flight, originally scheduled to depart at 7:15am, did not eventually leave until about 10:15pm, leaving hundreds of passengers frustrated and uncertain about their travel plans.
Adeniji said, “The scheduled passengers were left in a state of confusion and frustration without anyone properly attending to their concerns.
“For almost 15 hours, people sat at the airport waiting for updates. There was very little communication and no meaningful effort to reassure passengers or explain what exactly was happening.”
He alleged that the disruption was not limited to the Asaba route, claiming that flights to other destinations, including Port Harcourt and Kano, also suffered significant delays on the same day.
“From what I observed and gathered, the problem affected several destinations. Many passengers travelling to Port Harcourt, Kano and other cities were equally stranded with little information about when their flights would depart,” he said.
According to the aviation consultant, such recurring disruptions are eroding public confidence in Nigeria’s air transport sector and exposing underlying operational deficiencies among some domestic carriers.
He stated, “Airlines cannot operate efficiently without adequate aircraft fleets and qualified crew members. Poor scheduling and operational failures negatively affect passengers’ lives, businesses and confidence in the aviation system. The consequences go far beyond mere inconvenience.”
He disclosed that the prolonged disruption prevented his children from attending the burial ceremony of their grandmother in Anambra State, a moment he described as unrecoverable[GA1] [GA2] .
“My children missed the burial of their grandmother because of that delay. That is something that cannot be recovered.
“It was not just my family. Many passengers missed important business meetings, family events, medical appointments and other commitments because of circumstances beyond their control,” he added.
He maintained, “While delays can occur in aviation operations globally, airlines owe passengers timely communication, transparency and reasonable care whenever disruptions arise.
“Passengers deserve professionalism, accountability, transparency and respect. Delays may sometimes be unavoidable, but the way airlines manage them makes a huge difference.”
Adeniji thereafter urged the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to probe the recurring delays and flight cancellations affecting passengers across the domestic aviation sector.
He urged regulators to move beyond warnings and introduce stronger enforcement mechanisms capable of compelling airlines to improve operational reliability and customer service standards.
Among the measures proposed by Adeniji are mandatory sanctions for flight delays exceeding two hours, compensation packages equivalent to at least 50 per cent of ticket fares in the form of travel vouchers, hotel accommodation for passengers affected by delays extending beyond four hours, transportation support for stranded travellers and compulsory ticket endorsement to alternative airlines whenever disruptions occur.
He said, “If an airline cannot operate a scheduled flight within a reasonable period, passengers should not bear the burden alone.
“There should be mandatory compensation. There should be accommodation where necessary. There should be transportation support. And where another airline can transport the passenger, ticket endorsement should be compulsory.
“The objective should be to protect passengers and restore confidence in the system. Airlines must be held accountable for operational failures, while regulators must ensure that passenger rights are not just written in regulations but actively enforced.”
