In a significant move to enforce passenger rights, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has imposed a ₦5 million fine on Qatar Airways for allegedly violating the country’s aviation regulations concerning the treatment of passengers.
Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, made this known in a statement on Wednesday.
In the statement posted via his verified X handle, Achimugu said the NCAA has issued Letters of Investigation (LOIs) to Qatar Airways regarding other pending cases, warning that further sanctions may be imposed on the airline if not treated satisfactorily.
“Glad to announce that, today, the NCAA has sanctioned @qatarairways to the tune of five million naira, being a penalty for consumer protection-related infractions,” Achimugu stated.
In an earlier statement, the NCAA spokesman accused Qatar Airways of treating the agency and Nigerian passengers with disdain and also not complying with Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023 (which deals with passengers’ rights and responsibilities; and the obligations of airlines, travel agents, and tour operators to passengers), stating that it must stop.
He highlighted an incident between a Nigerian passenger and a Qatar Airways female cabin crew member on a flight from Lagos to the U.S. via Doha.
He said the airline’s cabin crew member claimed that while she was wheeling a passenger during boarding for the flight, the male passenger who was travelling with his wife had touched her butt. She, however, did not report the incident in Lagos, only to do so on arrival in Doha, where the man was arrested and detained for about 18 hours. He said the man’s wife suffered mental, physical, and psychological trauma without any form of care.
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“She wondered how her husband could have committed such a despicable infraction given that she was with him throughout the boarding process,” Achimugu stated.
“The authorities in Doha made the man pay a hefty fine and forced him to sign a document written ONLY in Arabic! Desperate for freedom to proceed on his journey to the US, the passenger signed a document which contents he did not understand.
“Despite this, the airline refused to fly him to his final destination. He had to buy tickets on another airline and proceed at great financial and reputational cost.
“Upon invitation by the NCAA, the airline’s country manager, who has a penchant for evading meetings with the NCAA, only sent his subordinates to attend.”
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Achimugu further revealed that the airline has failed to comply with all determinations made during the meeting and also failed “to treat subsequent complaints from other passengers escalated to them by the CAA, including a total silence upon receipt of a letter of investigation (LOI) sent to them by the NCAA.”
While reiterating the NCAA’s commitment to protecting the rights of all stakeholders in the aviation industry, Achimugu noted that the sanction imposed on Qatar Airways brings to seven the number of airlines sanctioned in 2025 for consumer protection-related infractions.
Others, according to him, are Air Peace, Arik Aero Contractors, Ethiopian Airways, Royal Air Maroc and Kenya Airways.
While noting that some countries do not have advanced aviation consumer protection regulations like Nigeria does, he called on airlines to always comply with Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023, and also obey consumer protection regulations in the country.
“When BASAs (Bilateral Air Service Agreements) are signed, they must be respected by both parties. Every airline is expected to, upon approval to operate in Nigeria, understand and comply with consumer protection regulations.
“To continue to treat our laws with contempt while respecting regulations across Europe and elsewhere is not ideal and must be brought to a complete and final stop.”
He emphasized that the Consumer Protection department protects the interests of airlines as well as passengers, adding that the NCAA will apply appropriate and stiff penalties against any airline that fails to comply with the regulations at any time.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist, scholar and analyst of socioeconomic issues in Nigeria and Africa. He is skilled in energy reporting, business and economy, and holds a master's degree in Mass Communication. He can be reached via @VICTOREZEJA on X
