The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has ordered United Nigeria Airlines to improve its flight operations, strictly comply with passenger rights regulations and refrain from expanding its routes beyond its current fleet capacity.
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 is not intended to drive airlines out of business, but stressed that the Authority’s mandate is to ensure sustainable, efficient and lawful operations within the aviation industry.
He warned the airline against operating beyond its available capacity at the expense of passengers, while condemning recent operational lapses that left passengers stranded without adequate communication or assistance.
The Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, raised concerns 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 also criticised the airline’s handling of passenger communications, particularly updates on flight delays and ticket refunds, describing the recent disruptions as “gross” and warning that such non-compliance would no longer be tolerated by the regulator.
Similarly, the Director, Operations, Licensing and Training Standards, Capt. Donald Spiff, advised the airline to scale down its active routes whenever it experiences an Aircraft-On-Ground (AOG) situation.
Spiff further cautioned the carrier to strictly comply with established regulatory guidelines before opening new destinations.
Responding to the NCAA’s directive, United Nigeria Airlines apologised for the lapses and promised to clear all pending ticket refund cases within 14 days, in line with the prescribed refund timelines.
