The House of Representatives has begun moves to recover over $7 billion allegedly owed to the Federation Account by foreign airlines operating in Nigeria since 2023.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Abiodun Faleke, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during the flag-off of the review of the 2023–2025 revenue monitoring exercise of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Faleke, who represents Ikeja Federal Constituency of Lagos State, said the lawmakers were concerned about the level of indebtedness by both foreign and domestic airlines. He spoke after the Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, presented the agency’s revenue records before the committee.
According to Faleke, when President Bola Tinubu assumed office in 2023, international carriers were already owing more than $7 billion in unpaid charges.
“We are aware that when President Bola Tinubu took over, there was over $7bn owed in the international carriers,” Faleke said.
He asked FAAN to provide a full record of all debts owed by airlines from 2023 to 2025. He also demanded detailed passenger data and flight records.
“The issue of passenger data is critical. Apart from this, we want to know how many airlines are actually coming to Nigeria. How many flights did you receive in 2023, 2024, and 2025? How many passengers? And I’m sure you have the manifests,” he added.
Faleke directed the FAAN management team to return before the committee with a comprehensive statement of indebtedness and full manifests of both foreign and domestic airlines operating in the country within the period under review.
During her presentation, Mrs Kuku told lawmakers that airline operators owed FAAN N25.86 billion in 2023. Out of this amount, the agency recovered N8.08 billion, representing 31.25 per cent. This left an outstanding balance of N17.78 billion.
She did not give full details of recoveries made in 2025.
Documents submitted to the committee showed that FAAN had an approved revenue target of N292.93 billion for the 2023–2025 period. However, the agency generated N191.43 billion, representing 65.35 per cent performance. This means there was a shortfall of N101.5 billion.
Lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction with the figures and raised concerns about inconsistencies in the accounting framework used by FAAN.
Airlines operating in Nigeria are required to pay different statutory charges to the Federal Government. These payments are usually made through FAAN and other aviation agencies.
The charges include landing fees, parking fees, passenger service charges, terminal navigation charges and other regulatory levies. These payments are important sources of revenue for the government and are meant to support airport maintenance, security, and infrastructure development.
However, over the years, there have been complaints about delayed remittances and the accumulation of debts by both local and foreign airlines.
Some domestic airlines that stopped operations reportedly left behind large unpaid bills. In the case of foreign airlines, payments are often handled through international clearing systems coordinated by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). FAAN said this process sometimes contributes to delays in payments.
Despite this explanation, lawmakers said the debts were too high and could not be ignored, especially at a time when Nigeria is facing serious fiscal challenges.
Nigeria has in recent years relied heavily on borrowing to finance its national budget. The country’s public debt has continued to rise, putting pressure on government finances.
Members of the House Committee on Finance said it was unacceptable for billions of dollars in revenue to remain unpaid while the government continues to borrow from local and foreign sources.
The committee has, in recent months, stepped up efforts to monitor revenue-generating agencies. The aim is to block leakages and ensure that all funds due to the Federation Account are fully remitted.
Faleke said recovering unpaid aviation charges would help reduce the need for excessive borrowing and strengthen public finances.
During the session, lawmakers also questioned FAAN over passenger data and the number of flights recorded during the review period.
They said accurate data on flights and passenger numbers would help determine how much airlines should have paid in statutory charges.
Lawmakers pointed out that with modern technology and digital ticketing systems, there should be clear records of the number of passengers and flights handled by airports across the country.
They insisted that transparency in revenue collection is key to restoring public confidence.
The aviation sector in Nigeria has faced several challenges in recent years. Airlines have complained about high operating costs, foreign exchange shortages and rising fuel prices. Some domestic carriers have suspended operations due to financial difficulties.
Foreign airlines have also raised concerns in the past about delays in the repatriation of ticket sales revenue due to foreign exchange shortages. These issues have sometimes affected flight schedules and ticket prices.
Despite these challenges, the Federal Government maintains that all airlines must meet their financial obligations under Nigerian law.
The House Committee on Finance is expected to continue its revenue monitoring exercise in the coming weeks. FAAN has been directed to provide a detailed breakdown of all debts owed by airlines from 2023 to 2025.
If confirmed, the committee may recommend stronger enforcement measures to recover outstanding payments.
Lawmakers say the goal is not to punish airlines unfairly but to ensure that government revenue is protected.
As Nigeria grapples with a widening budget deficit and increasing demand for infrastructure and social services, every source of income has become important.
The move by the House of Representatives signals a renewed push to improve accountability in the aviation sector and ensure that funds due to the Federation Account are not left unpaid.