{
  "id": 7243610,
  "title": "FG pays N18bn arrears to 2,100 ex-airways staff",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/fg-pays-n18bn-arrears-to-2-100-ex-airways-staff",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-14T04:01:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Trust",
    "slug": "daily-trust",
    "url": "https://dailytrust.com/fg-pays-n18bn-arrears-to-2100-ex-airways-staff/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Federal Government has settled N18 billion in unpaid severance benefits owed to 2,100 former Nigeria Airways staff, according to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele. During a recent press briefing in Abuja, Oyedele announced that an additional 600 beneficiaries would receive their payments soon. The government had been verifying the identities and bank details of all beneficiaries to ensure the payments reached legitimate recipients.\n\nThis was the final installment of payments to beneficiaries in batches one to seven, as the earlier eight and nine batches had already been finalized. Oyedele stated that the total payout would cover a total of 2,700 former employees of the defunct national carrier. He acknowledged that some of these individuals had passed away while awaiting their entitlements, leaving their families to pursue the payments.\n\nPrior to the disbanding of Nigeria Airways, the government took extensive measures to confirm the identities and financial details of all beneficiaries. This process included biometric verifications and validation of personal and banking information. However, some cases still emerged where outdated information, incorrect bank details, or deceased beneficiaries required additional steps before payment could be made.\n\nBeyond the severance payments, Oyedele also disclosed that the government was actively working to settle other outstanding obligations, including pension arrears and debts owed to indigenous contractors. The administration has shifted its approach to contractor debt settlement, prioritizing smaller contractors initially. This adjustment was made to ensure that more small and medium-sized businesses received their due payments rather than allowing government debts to linger unresolved.\n\nOyedele emphasized that the government aimed to resolve these financial commitments in a fair, transparent, and orderly manner as resources became available. The government also acknowledged the importance of setting realistic project goals and securing funding sources before making commitments. By taking these steps, the government hopes to build trust among contractors and beneficiaries in their payment obligations.",
  "summary": "The Federal Government has paid N18 billion in outstanding severance benefits to 2,100 former Nigeria Airways workers, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has said. Oyedele, who disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abuja over the weekend said another 600 beneficiaries would receive their payments in the coming days. […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}