Get Guardian on GoogleAviation labour unions in Nigeria have secured the Federal Government’s support for a proposal seeking to make workers’ welfare, decent work and social sustainability integral components of the global civil aviation framework.
The proposal, championed by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), is expected to be presented at the Seventh Worldwide Air Transport Conference (ATConf7) of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), scheduled to hold in Montreal, Canada, from November 16 through 20, 2026.
The unions, under the Joint Aviation Trade Union Forum (JATUF), led by its Chairman, Ben Nnabue, secured the government’s backing when they presented the ITF position paper to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, during a meeting in Abuja yesterday.
A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to Keyamo, Tunde Moshood, said that the delegation comprised executives of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), and Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), all affiliates of the ITF.
Other members included the Forum’s Vice Chairmen, Comrades John Ogbe, Alale Adedayo and Group Captain Bunmi Gandeh, as well as its Secretary, Comrade Hector Nnadi.
According to the unions, the long-term sustainability of civil aviation should not be measured solely by infrastructure development, technological advancement and economic growth, but also by the welfare, rights and professional development of the workforce.
The statement added: “The unions argued that aviation workers remain indispensable to the industry’s safety, efficiency and growth. There is the need for a global framework that balances economic competitiveness with social responsibility.
“The future of international aviation will depend partly on how effectively governments and industry operators recognise and address the concerns of workers who sustain the sector.”
Meanwhile, the delegation also presented the minister with an invitation to serve as Grand Patron of the Renewed Hope Aviation Support Group (RHASG), an organisation operating under the Strategic Collaboration for the Re-Election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The group, in its letter to Keyamo, said the nomination was made on behalf of its Board of Trustees, National Executive Council and entire membership in recognition of his leadership and experience.
It also congratulated the minister on his recent appointment as Director of the Directorate of Air Transport Mobilisation for the All Progressives Congress (APC) re-election campaign.
According to the group, Keyamo’s experience in managing complex responsibilities and understanding of the aviation industry would provide strategic direction for its activities.
