Four aviation unions have issued a fourteen-day ultimatum to the management of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology in Zaria, warning of sweeping consequences for the institution, including operational paralysis, if talks on staff conditions remain unresolved.
The notice was jointly signed by leaders of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, the National Union of Air Transport Employees, the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers. Together, they represent a significant proportion of the skilled workforce that keeps NCAT running daily.
The unions say if the NCAT management fails to conclude a long-delayed review of Conditions of Service, an avoidable dispute would ensue that would disrupt industrial harmony.
In the joint notice dated 14 January 2025 and addressed to the Rector and Chief Executive, the unions accused the college management of indecision and a lack of seriousness on staff welfare. They said that NCAT has become an outlier within the aviation sector by failing to conclude its Conditions of Service review, despite repeated engagements and assurances that raised expectations among workers across the college.
According to the unions, patience within the foremost aviation training organisation has been stretched by what they termed management’s “lip service” to improving employment conditions. They noted that, despite perceived discourtesy towards union officers, staff had remained committed to the growth of the college because of its national importance as an aviation training hub. That commitment, they warned, is now at risk as frustration deepens across departments.
The unions argued that NCAT’s role as Nigeria’s premier aviation training institution makes the stalemate more damaging. They stressed that unresolved welfare issues undermine morale, productivity and safety culture within the college, especially at a time when the aviation industry is under pressure to meet global standards. In their view, a weakened college cannot effectively support national aviation growth or international credibility.
They warned that failure to act within fourteen days would leave them with no option but to direct members to withdraw their services. Such action, they said, would affect training schedules, technical operations and administrative functions across the college. The unions emphasised that the ultimatum was not issued lightly, but followed months of unproductive engagement and broken timelines.
If implemented, a shutdown would have ripple effects beyond the college gates. Airlines, regulators and private operators rely on the college for pilots, engineers and air traffic personnel. Any prolonged disruption could worsen skills shortages and delay certification pipelines, compounding existing challenges in the aviation sector.
Despite the stern tone, the unions said they remain open to dialogue and committed to the college’s success. They framed the ultimatum as a final push to compel decisive leadership rather than a desire for confrontation. However, they made clear that goodwill alone cannot substitute for concrete action on agreed welfare frameworks within the college.
The next two weeks may determine whether the college returns to a path of cooperation or slides into an avoidable crisis with far-reaching consequences for Nigeria’s aviation training ecosystem.
