NCAA to sanction Qatar Airways

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has read the riot act to Qatar Airways, vowing heavy sanctions after the airline allegedly mistreated a Nigerian passenger in what officials describe as a clear violation of local aviation laws.

Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, in a statement on X, accused Qatar Airways of disregarding Nigeria’s consumer protection regulations under Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023.

He narrated how a Nigerian man, travelling with his wife from Lagos to the United States via Doha, was accused by a cabin crew member of sexual harassment while boarding. The incident was never reported in Lagos, but on arrival in Doha, the passenger was arrested, detained for 18 hours, fined, and forced to sign a document written in Arabic.

To make matters worse, the airline allegedly barred him from continuing his journey, compelling him to buy another ticket at huge financial and reputational cost.

“The airline @qatarairways has carried on as though Nigerian passengers and the NCAA are not deserving of their respect, dignified treatment, and compliance with Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023. This will be brought to a stop immediately,” Achimugu warned.

He revealed that Qatar Airways’ country manager shunned an NCAA summons, sending subordinates instead — one of several instances where the airline allegedly ignored investigations, failed to respond to escalated complaints, and disregarded official letters.

The NCAA has now vowed to apply stiff penalties, stressing that foreign carriers must respect Nigerian laws just as they comply with European regulators.

Royal Air Maroc and Saudi Air have also been cautioned for similar infractions and now risk heavy sanctions if they continue to defy directives.