NiMet Strike: Unions Alert ICAO, WMO As Airlines Operate Without Certified Weather Reports

THURSDAY April 24, 2025 |
By thenewsdesk.ng

Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, AUPCTRE, and the Nigeria Meteorological Society, NimetS, have informed the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, and World Meteorological Organisation, WNO, that some domestic airlines in Nigeria are exposing passengers to danger over their insistence to continue operations despite the ongoing strike action by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet.

The associations said the decision of some airlines to fly without proper meteorological briefing and reports was in contradiction of international best practices.

NiMet, which is the agency responsible for issuing weather reports to airlines and pilots, had commenced strike actions over poor condition of service and unmet needs.

To this end, Air Peace suspended flight operations over safety, but other airlines, like United Nigeria Airlines, continued to operate relying on other sources of weather reports.

President of Nigeria Meteorology Society, NiMETS, Debo Adeyewa, and the Chairman of AUPTRE, Abuja branch, Awotu, in the latter to ICAO and WMO, stated: “that the statement by United Airlines using a quack form to get meteorological information is risky to Nigerian aviation users due to safety reasons.

“United Airlines is not trained to issue meteorological reports or receive ISO certification to embark on this fruitless and fatal journey for the Nigerian aviation sector.

“The act that United Airlines is following is roque and contradicts best practices and airline safety is being threatened and lives of Nigerian aviation users are prone to air accidents and crashes.”