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The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has threatened to suspend Royal Air Maroc’s operations in Nigeria over persistent passenger complaints and repeated consumer protection infractions.

The warning was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu.

According to the authority, the airline has continued to fall short in handling passenger complaints despite being sanctioned for similar consumer protection violations in 2025, prompting the regulator to consider stricter enforcement measures.

What they are saying

Achimugu said the NCAA would seek the suspension of Royal Air Maroc’s operations in Nigeria until the airline demonstrates a commitment to complying with the country’s consumer protection regulations.

He attributed the move to what he described as persistent passenger complaints and the airline’s failure to improve despite previous regulatory sanctions.

• “Strict enforcement will happen against this airline (Royal Air Maroc) and my department will push for a stoppage of Royal Air Maroc operations in Nigeria until they make a commitment to treat Nigerian passengers better.”
• “I am not the kind of public servant who is afraid to lose his job for the right reasons. I will never accept this behaviour from operators. It is not arrogance; it is simply adherence to rules that have, for ages, been treated like they don’t exist.”

He added that the NCAA would pursue stiffer penalties against the airline to ensure compliance with passenger rights obligations.

More insights

Achimugu alleged that Royal Air Maroc has consistently recorded baggage handling failures, poor passenger service and delayed complaint resolution, making it one of the airline’s poorest-performing international operators in terms of consumer protection compliance. He said many complaints are only resolved after intervention by the NCAA.

• He alleged that delayed baggage deliveries are often not communicated promptly to affected passengers.
• He also claimed that passengers do not consistently receive the immediate assistance required under consumer protection regulations.
• According to him, the airline repeatedly ignored invitations to meetings over unresolved complaints, with its Country Manager allegedly declining to attend and instead sending representatives without decision-making authority.

Achimugu further alleged that Royal Air Maroc’s Country Manager, Ahmed Boussouf, dismissed one of the regulator’s invitations by saying, “Whatever you want to do, do,” describing the response as evidence of the airline’s disregard for the NCAA’s consumer protection processes.

Royal Air Maroc has yet to make an official statement on the matter.

What you should know

The NCAA has stepped up enforcement of passenger rights in recent years as part of efforts to improve consumer protection across Nigeria’s aviation sector.

• Aero Contractors became the first Nigerian airline to comply with a consumer protection sanction imposed by the NCAA in April 2025.
• In November 2025, the NCAA fined Qatar Airways N5 million for consumer protection violations, signalling a tougher regulatory stance toward both domestic and international airlines.
• Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations sets out airlines’ obligations on passenger rights, including fair treatment, timely complaint resolution and accountability for service failures.

The latest warning suggests the NCAA is prepared to impose tougher sanctions on airlines it believes are failing to meet their consumer protection obligations.