Air Peace grounds all flights as NiMet strike disrupts aviation operations

Air Peace Airlines has announced the suspension of all its flight operations across the country following the ongoing industrial action by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

The airline explained that this decision was necessary because NiMet, which is responsible for providing the Current Nowcast of Hazardous Weather (CNH) reports, plays a vital role in ensuring safe landings, especially in this season of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.

Without these weather reports from the control tower, the safety of flights cannot be guaranteed.

In a statement released by the airline, it noted, “As a safety-first airline, we have chosen to act responsibly by suspending operations until NiMet resumes full service. We understand this may cause inconvenience, and we sincerely apologize. Passengers will be contacted with updates and options for rescheduling.”

The ongoing strike is being championed by three aviation sector unions, the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP).

In a circular addressed to their members within NiMet, the unions explained that they had made several efforts over the years to resolve the issue of poor wages, which they said had forced many of the agency’s workers into poverty and hardship. Sadly, those efforts yielded no meaningful outcome.

The unions also expressed disappointment that an agreement reached between them and the agency’s management on January 29, 2025, aimed at partially easing the difficult conditions faced by workers, had been violated.

The circular read, “In the light of management’s inability to address our given concerns and being that we can no longer continue to cope with present hardships and especially as the ultimatum given to the management has expired, we have no choice but to resume the suspended strike.”

“Accordingly, all staff of NiMet nationwide are hereby directed to withdraw all service from the agency indefinitely with effect from midnight of Tuesday, April 22, 2025, without exception until otherwise directed.”