The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a stern warning to domestic airlines operating in the country, demanding an immediate stop to the growing trend of delaying passenger ticket refunds beyond the legally approved period.

In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the NCAA spokesperson, Michael Achimugu, said it is unacceptable for airlines to extend the refund period for cancelled or unused tickets to four weeks, calling the practice a clear violation of aviation rules.

According to Achimugu, the NCAA’s Part 19 Regulations (2023) state that all airlines must process and complete refunds within 14 days after a passenger makes a formal request — not a month, as some carriers currently claim.

“Domestic airlines need to stop telling passengers that their refund process takes four weeks. The NCAA regulations are clear — refunds must be made within 14 days. Operators cannot create their own rules,” he stated.

He described the four-week refund claim as unprofessional, unfair, and a direct attempt to undermine the authority of the NCAA.

Passengers Urged to Report Violations

Achimugu encouraged affected passengers to take action by reporting any airline that fails to comply. He provided official email addresses where complaints should be sent:
📩 michael.achimugu@ncaa.gov.ng, ifueko.abdulmalik@ncaa.gov.ng, and cpd@ncaa.gov.ng.

“Enough of this. We can’t all claim to be improving the aviation sector while duplicating rules that harm passengers,” he said firmly.

The NCAA’s intervention comes amid increasing complaints from air travellers about delayed or unprocessed refunds, especially following flight cancellations and schedule disruptions.

With this latest warning, the NCAA has made it clear that it will no longer tolerate airline practices that inconvenience passengers or disregard Nigeria’s aviation laws.