The Federal Government has commenced the payment of ₦18 billion in outstanding severance benefits to 2,100 former workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited, more than two decades after the airline was liquidated.
The Federal Ministry of Finance said payments have been completed for beneficiaries in Batches 1 to 7, while another 600 beneficiaries in Batches 8 and 9 are being finalised for payment.
The exercise follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval to settle the outstanding obligations owed to former Nigeria Airways workers.
The government said the payment process involved extensive verification, including biometric capture and validation of personal and banking details, to ensure payments reach legitimate beneficiaries.
A second-phase mop-up exercise is expected to begin by the end of September or early October to address outstanding cases and capture eligible beneficiaries whose records could not be processed during the initial phase.
