The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has summoned 13 domestic airlines to an emergency meeting in Abuja following widespread complaints of flight delays, cancellations, and passenger maltreatment across the country.

The meeting, scheduled for Wednesday at the NCAA headquarters, was confirmed by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, through a statement posted on his official X handle on Tuesday.

According to Achimugu, the agenda will cover persistent delays and cancellations, inadequate passenger handling and welfare provisions, unresolved refund complaints, enforcement of safety directives such as the mandatory phone switch-off during flights, protection of airline staff and NCAA officials from passenger aggression, as well as the planned introduction of RFID baggage tagging and real-time flight monitoring technology.

The summons comes amid rising incidents of unruly passenger behaviour at airports, which the NCAA says are partly triggered by airlines’ failure to comply with aviation rules.

“Airlines cancel flights late at night without making provisions for passenger welfare, leaving NCAA consumer protection officers to manage agitated travellers. This exposes our staff to unnecessary risk,” Achimugu stated.

He stressed that the regulatory body would no longer tolerate deliberate infractions, warning that airlines that repeatedly fail to meet obligations risk being publicly named and sanctioned. “For infractions that are sanctionable, the Authority will apply the fullest measures possible. We will not abandon the letters of our regulations,” he said.

Only a day earlier, the NCAA had reminded operators of their obligations under Part 19 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, which require airlines to provide accommodation for stranded passengers between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. in cases of delayed or cancelled flights. The regulations also outline compensation and refund procedures for affected travellers.

Achimugu acknowledged that domestic airlines face operational challenges but insisted that carriers must still comply with passenger rights provisions if they wish to maintain credibility.

“While we understand the difficulties operators encounter, the Authority will not compromise on the need to protect passengers and ensure that Nigerian carriers meet acceptable service standards,” he said.

The outcome of Wednesday’s meeting is expected to set the tone for NCAA’s enforcement drive as it seeks to strengthen consumer protection and restore public confidence in the domestic aviation sector.