Unions representing workers at the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) have agreed to extend the suspension of their strike, citing partial progress after intervention by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, Uzor Oluchi, Deputy President of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), confirmed that union leaders received updates during a meeting held last Monday.
“Minister Keyamo gave a positive response. This is not a one-off solution; it will be a gradual process. But we believe that without the initial strike, our concerns wouldn’t have been addressed at all,” Oluchi said.
He added that biweekly meetings will continue until all union demands are met, with the next one scheduled for June 11.
Similarly, Awotu Ayuba, Chairman of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, noted that while not all issues have been resolved, some progress has been made.
“We initially suspended the strike for two weeks, and during our meeting with the minister, we saw encouraging developments. At least two or three of our demands have been met so far. It’s an ongoing process,” Ayuba said.
Background
In April 2025, aviation unions across Nigeria—including NUATE, the Amalgamated Union, and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals—embarked on a nationwide strike over long-standing grievances related to staff welfare and working conditions.
The industrial action followed NiMet’s failure to implement a January 2025 agreement, which included salary revisions and improvements in work conditions. Unions also demanded enforcement of the 2019 minimum wage adjustment for about 30 employees who had been previously excluded.
The strike severely disrupted flight operations across the country. Major airlines, including Air Peace, were forced to suspend services due to the unavailability of critical weather updates from NiMet.
Minister Keyamo stepped in, convening meetings with union leaders, which led to a temporary suspension of the strike until May 13, 2025, to allow time for the government to act on the proposed reforms.
