The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, has successfully resolved the strike action initiated by unions within the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
The strike, which began on April 22, 2025, was suspended following a dialogue held at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
Keyamo met with leaders of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Services Employees to address the grievances raised by NiMet staff.
During the meeting, several pressing issues were resolved, paving the way for the suspension of the industrial action. Among the major agreements reached was the implementation of salary relativity with other aviation agencies. The ministry is expected to write to the president to secure formal approval.
The minister also confirmed that the new 2024 minimum wage would be implemented, with joint monitoring by both NiMet management and union representatives to ensure compliance. In addition, the backlog of nine months of 2019 consequential salary adjustments – affecting around 30 staff members – will be paid immediately.
Subsistence allowances, another major point of contention, will also be disbursed without delay. Keyamo added that a review and upward adjustment of these allowances is scheduled for the coming year.
While some matters were conclusively addressed, others still require further clarification. The unresolved issues include the 25 to 30 per cent wage award and the 40 per cent peculiar allowance, which have been subjects of confusion among staff. The minister announced that a dedicated committee would engage relevant agencies to clarify the status and guide the implementation of these components.
Other issues earmarked for further work include concerns over disparities in staff training opportunities, the roles and responsibilities of contract staff and special advisers and the review of conditions of service. Unions will be involved in shaping these reviews as discussions advance.
Keyamo stressed the importance of maintaining regular communication and follow-up meetings to ensure that all agreed-upon decisions are properly implemented. He scheduled the next meeting for May 12, stating that it would be the first in a series of recurring sessions to bridge communication gaps and sustain progress.
“We said we’ll be back here on the 12th of May. That meeting will allow us to track the implementation of these decisions. And from there, we will meet regularly until there is a final resolution. This communication gap we observed before should never happen again,” he said.
To drive the follow-up process, Keyamo constituted a ministerial committee led by the ministry’s permanent secretary, Dr. Ibrahim Kana, mni. The committee will address outstanding issues, including matters related to subsistence allowances and other staff welfare concerns.
Responding to the resolutions, the national president of ANAP, Comrade Alale Adedayo said the union embarked on the strike due to deteriorating working conditions that had become intolerable for NiMet staff. He acknowledged that the unions and the Ministry had some disagreements but reached a common ground through dialogue.
“We disagreed to agree and agreed to disagree,” Adedayo said with a smile, appreciating the Minister’s quick response to the concerns raised by NiMet workers.
He confirmed that the resolutions would be taken back to the union members, who were eagerly awaiting feedback. He expressed confidence in the Minister’s commitment and described him as a man of his word.
“Now we are taking this resolution back to our people. They’re waiting to hear from us. We will tell them that our Honourable Minister gave us a positive response,” he said.
“I promise this dialogue will continue until we fully meet the workers’ demands. The minister has given us his word and where he could not act directly, he has committed to taking it to The Presidency. That is the kind of leadership we respect and believe in.”
With the strike suspended and negotiations ongoing, normalcy is expected to return to NiMet operations across the country.
