A potentially crippling strike at the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) was averted at the eleventh hour on Tuesday after the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, brokered a deal between the agency’s management and its labour unions.
The breakthrough came after a marathon negotiation session presided over by the Minister, which focused on a raft of staff welfare issues that had prompted the unions to issue an imminent strike notice.
In a joint communiqué signed late Tuesday, both parties confirmed that the industrial action, which was set to commence at midnight, had been officially suspended following “extensive deliberations” and a “thorough review of facts and figures.”
The agreement signals a significant de-escalation of tensions and ensures the continued operation of critical weather forecasting services essential for the safety of Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Key Resolutions Reached
The communiqué, signed by representatives from the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Association of Professional Corps and Transport Regulatory Employees (AUPCTRE), the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Companies (SSASCGOC), and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (ANAP), alongside NiMet management, outlined several key resolutions:
· Salary Relativity: The Honourable Minister and the Permanent Secretary are to engage relevant national authorities to seek due consideration for NiMet’s salary relativity issue.
· Pending Financial Arrears: All stakeholders agreed to exercise patience while the Ministry ensures consistent follow-up on the payment of 2024 Minimum Wage Arrears and the settlement of nine months of Consequential Salary Adjustment arrears.
· Omitted Staff Pay: In a immediate gesture of goodwill, the NiMet Management agreed to pay thirty (30) staff members who were previously omitted from certain payments from the agency’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
· Furniture Grant: A phased payment plan was agreed upon, with 35% of the approved Furniture Grant to be paid immediately. The remaining 65% will be captured and paid in the 2026 Annual Budget.
· Inter-Agency Debt: To address long-standing financial disputes, an Inter-Agency Account Reconciliation Committee will be constituted by the Permanent Secretary to reconcile funds due to NiMet from sister-agencies.
· Conditions of Service: In a move towards greater transparency, union representatives will now be involved in the process of pursuing approvals for allowances with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).
Minister Commends Union Maturity
The Honourable Minister, Festus Keyamo, was credited with facilitating the productive dialogue. In his closing remarks, he commended the union leaders for their “maturity, constructive engagement, and sense of responsibility.”
He emphasized the Ministry’s “continued commitment to promoting staff welfare, industrial harmony, and institutional reforms that will enhance productivity and service delivery in the aviation sector.”
The suspension of the strike brings immediate relief to Nigeria’s aviation industry, which relies heavily on NiMet’s weather data for flight planning and safety operations. The agreement not only resolves immediate grievances but also establishes a framework for more collaborative labour relations within the agency moving forward. Brokers Deal
ABUJA, Nigeria — Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025 — A potentially crippling strike at the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) was averted at the eleventh hour on Tuesday after the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, brokered a deal between the agency’s management and its labour unions.
The breakthrough came after a marathon negotiation session presided over by the Minister, which focused on a raft of staff welfare issues that had prompted the unions to issue an imminent strike notice.
In a joint communiqué signed late Tuesday, both parties confirmed that the industrial action, which was set to commence at midnight, had been officially suspended following “extensive deliberations” and a “thorough review of facts and figures.”
The agreement signals a significant de-escalation of tensions and ensures the continued operation of critical weather forecasting services essential for the safety of Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Key Resolutions Reached
The communiqué, signed by representatives from the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Association of Professional Corps and Transport Regulatory Employees (AUPCTRE), the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Companies (SSASCGOC), and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (ANAP), alongside NiMet management, outlined several key resolutions:
· Salary Relativity: The Honourable Minister and the Permanent Secretary are to engage relevant national authorities to seek due consideration for NiMet’s salary relativity issue.
· Pending Financial Arrears: All stakeholders agreed to exercise patience while the Ministry ensures consistent follow-up on the payment of 2024 Minimum Wage Arrears and the settlement of nine months of Consequential Salary Adjustment arrears.
· Omitted Staff Pay: In a immediate gesture of goodwill, the NiMet Management agreed to pay thirty (30) staff members who were previously omitted from certain payments from the agency’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
· Furniture Grant: A phased payment plan was agreed upon, with 35% of the approved Furniture Grant to be paid immediately. The remaining 65% will be captured and paid in the 2026 Annual Budget.
· Inter-Agency Debt: To address long-standing financial disputes, an Inter-Agency Account Reconciliation Committee will be constituted by the Permanent Secretary to reconcile funds due to NiMet from sister-agencies.
· Conditions of Service: In a move towards greater transparency, union representatives will now be involved in the process of pursuing approvals for allowances with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).
Minister Commends Union Maturity
The Honourable Minister, Festus Keyamo, was credited with facilitating the productive dialogue. In his closing remarks, he commended the union leaders for their “maturity, constructive engagement, and sense of responsibility.”
He emphasized the Ministry’s “continued commitment to promoting staff welfare, industrial harmony, and institutional reforms that will enhance productivity and service delivery in the aviation sector.”
The suspension of the strike brings immediate relief to Nigeria’s aviation industry, which relies heavily on NiMet’s weather data for flight planning and safety operations. The agreement not only resolves immediate grievances but also establishes a framework for more collaborative labour relations within the agency moving forward.
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