The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed its directorates to suspend services to 11 domestic airlines over unpaid statutory charges owed to the aviation regulator.
The affected operators have been placed on the NCAA’s updated “No-Pay-No-Service” list, a move that could affect access to regulatory and administrative services until the debts are cleared or repayment agreements are reached.
The directive was contained in an internal memo dated May 22, 2026, and made available to newsmen on Sunday.
The memo, signed by the Director of Finance and Accounts, Olufemi Odukoya, and circulated across the authority’s regional offices, directed all NCAA departments and directorates to withhold services from the affected airlines pending financial clearance from the Directorate of Finance and Accounts.
The document was also copied to the Director-General of Civil Aviation and other senior officials of the agency.
According to the memo, “The DGCA has directed that no directorate should render any service to the above airline without financial clearance from the director of finance and accounts.”
The airlines affected by the directive are Air Peace Limited, Ibom Air Limited, Arik Air Limited, United Nigeria Airlines, Umza Air, NG Eagle, Max Air Limited, Caverton Helicopters, Overland Airways, Rano Air and ValueJet.
The development means the affected airlines may face delays in receiving regulatory support from the NCAA until they meet the authority’s financial requirements.
Industry sources said the decision could raise concerns among airline operators and passengers, especially if the suspension affects approvals, renewals or other operational processes handled by the regulator.
At the centre of the dispute are the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge and Cargo Sales Charge collected by airlines on behalf of the NCAA.
The funds are meant to support aviation safety oversight, personnel training and economic regulation within the sector.
The NCAA expects airlines to remit the charges after collection, but the latest directive suggests that the affected operators have outstanding obligations to the regulator.
Under the “No-Pay-No-Service” arrangement, affected airlines risk immediate interruption in regulatory and administrative support.
The suspension could also create wider concerns within the domestic aviation sector if the matter is not resolved quickly.
Although the memo did not specify the exact amount owed by each airline, it directed that no service should be rendered to any affected operator without the finance directorate’s clearance.
The development comes amid continued pressure on domestic airlines due to rising operating costs, foreign exchange constraints, aircraft maintenance expenses, and other industry challenges.
The NCAA, however, maintained through the memo that affected airlines must either clear their outstanding debts or agree on repayment plans before full services can resume.