The Federal Government has released another N4.25bn to settle outstanding pension and severance benefits owed to 600 former employees of the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited.
The latest disbursement brings the number of beneficiaries who have received payments to 3,300 across 11 batches, according to the Federal Ministry of Finance.
The ministry disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Head of Media, Efe Ovuakporie, noting that the latest payment covered the 10th and 11th batches of eligible former workers.
With the additional 600 beneficiaries, the settlement programme has expanded beyond the 2,700 former employees covered in the first nine batches.
Earlier reports indicated that the Federal Government had commenced the payment of N18bn in outstanding severance benefits to the initial 2,700 beneficiaries, following years of demands for the settlement of their entitlements.
The latest N4.25bn payment brings the combined reported disbursements to approximately N22.25bn for the 3,300 beneficiaries, based on the figures released for the earlier and latest payments.
Although the new payment amounts to an average of about N7.09m per beneficiary, individual entitlements may vary according to the benefits approved for each claimant.
The ministry, however, did not provide details of the total amount paid in all previous batches or the overall outstanding liabilities owed to former employees of the airline.
Nigeria Airways operated for decades as the country’s national carrier before its liquidation in 2003, leaving unresolved pension and severance obligations to former staff.
The outstanding payments have remained a longstanding concern for affected workers and their families, with successive administrations facing calls to fulfil the financial commitments arising from their years of service.
The ministry said the latest disbursement would ease the financial burden on beneficiaries who had waited for years to receive their entitlements.
It also disclosed that the verification and validation of claims submitted by the next of kin of deceased former employees were still in progress.
According to the ministry, the exercise is designed to confirm the eligibility of claimants and reconcile their submissions with approved records before payments are made.
It assured that verified claims would continue to be processed in accordance with established procedures to ensure that outstanding benefits are paid to eligible former workers and their families.
