… Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic Among Major Debtors
… Debt From International Carriers Threatens Aviation Revenue
…FAAN Given Two-Week Deadline To Enforce Collection
Daud Olatunji
The House of Representatives Committee on Finance has ordered the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to recover over N18.98 billion owed by foreign airlines within the next two weeks, warning that failure to do so would attract stricter enforcement actions.
The directive came on Tuesday during a revenue monitoring session where FAAN officials, led by Managing Director Olubunmi Kuku, appeared before the committee to present the latest debt profile of international carriers operating in Nigeria.
Committee Chairman, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, expressed concern over the growing debt accumulation by foreign airlines, describing the situation as “unacceptable” given established payment timelines.
“We need every kobo that belongs to this country,” Faleke said, stressing that continuous delays could amount to negligence.
FAAN’s Kuku told lawmakers that while airlines are expected to settle airport service charges within two weeks, several operators have exceeded this period, with some debts extending beyond 30, 90 days, and, in extreme cases, over a year.
According to Kuku, the total debt of foreign airlines currently stands at N18.98 billion, with the largest defaulters including:
Qatar Airways – N1.5 billion
Lufthansa – N1.5 billion
Virgin Atlantic – N1.35 billion
KLM, EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airlines – over N1 billion each
Air France, Royal Air Maroc, Turkish Airlines, Africa World Airlines – N700 million to N1 billion
She explained that payments are processed through the International Air Transport Association (IATA) settlement platform, which sometimes causes delays in clearing liabilities.
While FAAN monitors the ageing of debts and engages airlines that exceed 30 days, liabilities over 90 days attract stricter attention.
Lawmakers questioned why foreign carriers were allowed to operate despite overdue payments and why interest penalties were not consistently applied.
They urged FAAN to implement stronger enforcement measures, including grounding airlines that fail to meet obligations, similar to actions sometimes taken with domestic carriers.
The committee has now demanded detailed addresses and documentation for all listed airline debtors. Operators failing to clear debts within the two-week window will be formally summoned to appear before the House to justify outstanding liabilities.
Faleke emphasised that the aviation sector is a critical revenue source for the country and that continued non-compliance by international airlines could undermine national economic growth.
“We cannot allow foreign airlines to take advantage of Nigeria’s system,” the chairman said. “Accountability and enforcement must be enforced to the letter.”
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