President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a 30 per cent reduction in charges owed by airlines to Nigeria’s aviation agencies.

The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, SAN, disclosed the development on Thursday, noting that the decision was aimed at easing the burden of rising operational costs on airline operators.

According to him, the approval was conveyed during an official engagement.

“So this evening, Mr. President just communicated to us through the Chief of Staff, while we were at the meeting, that he’s granting a 30 percent discount to all airlines,” Mr. Keyamo said.

DAILY POST reports that the discount covers outstanding debts owed to key aviation agencies, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

The move follows a meeting between the federal government, led by the aviation minister, and major industry stakeholders recently.

Airline operators in Nigeria had earlier warned of a possible shutdown of operations or an increase in airfares due to the surge in aviation fuel prices.

They also called for debt waivers from aviation agencies as part of measures to avert disruption in services.