Former workers and pensioners of defunct Nigeria Airways have appealed to Bola Tinubu to intervene over the alleged omission of their outstanding N36 billion severance and pension entitlements from the 2026 budget.
The retirees said many former staff members continue to face severe hardship and uncertainty years after the liquidation of the national carrier.
In a letter dated May 7, 2026, addressed to the President, the ex-workers expressed shock that no provision was made for the payment in both the extended 2025 budget and the 2026 Appropriation Bill, despite what they described as earlier assurances that the debt would be settled.
The letter, obtained by The Guardian Nigeria, was jointly signed by Acting Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Nigeria Airways Branch, Comrade Olusegun Adeleke, and Secretary, Comrade Thomas Ojuderi.
Copies of the letter were also sent to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.
The pensioners thanked Tinubu for approving the payment process in May 2025 but said their hopes were dashed after discovering that the approved N36 billion settlement was not captured in the budget framework.
According to them, expectations were raised following the extension of the 2025 budget and the presentation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
However, they said excitement turned into disappointment after failing to find any allocation for the payment of their entitlements.
“But it came as a rude shock to us when we could not trace the N36 billion meant for us in the 2025/2026 Budget.
“At this juncture, we became sad and perplexed. We have no option but to return to Your Excellency to invoke your authority for an executive order directing the Honourable Minister of Finance to pay our pension from any source available,” the letter stated.
The former workers described Tinubu as their “last hope” after years of delays in the payment of their pensions and severance benefits.
“We know and believe that Mr President is the only one to bail us out of the seemingly unending delay to our payment.
“We are appealing to your humanitarian gesture in this our pitiable situation,” they added.
The retirees claimed that more than 1,500 out of over 5,800 affected pensioners and former staff had died over the years due to hardship, poverty and frustration linked to the prolonged non-payment of their entitlements.
Nigeria Airways was liquidated in 2003, leaving thousands of former employees in disputes over unpaid pensions, gratuities and severance packages.
Over the years, many retirees have repeatedly raised concerns about worsening economic hardship, declining health conditions and the deaths of former colleagues while awaiting payment of their benefits.
