A renewed dispute has surfaced in Nigeria’s aviation sector over how the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) is shared, with the y mil (NCAA) explaining why the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) continues to receive a portion.
The NCAA told Aviation Nigeria that NAMA’s share dates back to the agency’s creation, when the TSC was introduced as a temporary funding measure to support NAMA’s operations.
Although the NCAA says this arrangement was never meant to be permanent, it persisted over the years without a formal termination, effectively making NAMA an ongoing beneficiary of the statutory passenger levy.
The five per cent TSC is allocated among several aviation bodies, including the NCAA, NAMA, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
The NCAA’s published materials confirm that the charge is levied on tickets originating in Nigeria and distributed to the listed agencies under current aviation law.
The issue has become increasingly contentious as questions continue to emerge over the financial burden placed on airlines and passengers, as well as the manner in which the funds are collected, remitted and ultimately deployed. The controversy has already triggered disputes between the NCAA and airline operators over outstanding TSC remittances. In February 2026, the NCAA said the charge represents funds paid by passengers and held in trust by airlines for remittance to the Authority for distribution among key aviation agencies.
Under the current sharing arrangement, the NCAA receives 56 per cent, NAMA 22 per cent, NiMet nine per cent, NCAT seven per cent and NSIB six per cent. Stakeholders have, however, continued to question whether the existing formula remains appropriate given the changing financial and operational realities of the aviation sector.
The latest explanation concerning NAMA’s historical entitlement is therefore likely to fuel further debate over whether an arrangement introduced as temporary should have continued indefinitely.
Aviation stakeholders are now calling for a comprehensive review of the entire TSC regime, including its legal basis, collection mechanism, remittance process, sharing formula and utilisation by beneficiary agencies. They are also demanding greater transparency and accountability in the management of what has become a significant source of funding for Nigeria’s aviation institutions.
The central question now is not merely who receives the five per cent, but whether every naira collected from passengers is being accounted for and deployed in a manner that delivers measurable benefits to Nigeria’s aviation industry.
As the controversy deepens, stakeholders are expected to intensify calls for an independent investigation into the history, administration and utilisation of the TSC and to determine whether the existing arrangement still serves the interests of the travelling public and the aviation industry.
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