NCAA fines RwandAir N15 million over failure to resolve baggage complaint

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has fined RwandAir N15 million for failing to resolve a passenger’s baggage complaint within the timeframe stipulated by aviation regulations.

The sanction was announced by Michael Achimugu, NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, on Friday.

The fine followed the airline’s failure to resolve a passenger’s damaged baggage complaint within the prescribed period, prompting the NCAA to order additional compensation for the affected passenger.

What the NCAA is saying

The NCAA said RwandAir has been directed to replace the passenger’s damaged baggage and pay $170 as first-needs compensation under Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023.

• It said the airline’s failure to resolve the complaint within the stipulated timeframe constituted a consumer protection-related infraction.
• “The NCAA has sanctioned Rwand Air for consumer protection-related infractions. The airline has been fined a sum of FIFTEEN MILLION NAIRA for its failure to resolve a baggage issue within stipulated timeframe,” the statement read in part.

The N15 million fine forms part of the regulatory action taken against the airline over its handling of the passenger’s complaint.

Get up to speed

The sanction comes amid increased NCAA enforcement against airlines over passenger complaints and consumer protection violations. In July, the regulator threatened to suspend Royal Air Maroc’s operations in Nigeria over persistent complaints and repeated consumer protection infractions.

• The NCAA said Royal Air Maroc had continued to record baggage handling failures, poor passenger service and delayed complaint resolution despite previous sanctions in 2025.
• The regulator alleged that some complaints were only resolved after its intervention and that delayed baggage deliveries were not always communicated promptly to passengers.
• The NCAA also alleged that the airline repeatedly failed to attend meetings on unresolved complaints, with its Country Manager allegedly sending representatives without decision-making authority.
• The airline later met with the NCAA on August 14, acknowledged the need to improve its services and presented a plan for its Nigerian operations.

The NCAA said it was satisfied with the presentation and would continue monitoring Royal Air Maroc’s operations to ensure compliance.

In November 2025, the NCAA also fined Qatar Airways N5 million for consumer protection violations, signalling a tougher regulatory approach to passenger complaints.

What you should know

The NCAA has continued to warn airlines against operational practices that leave passengers stranded or without adequate assistance.

The regulator recently directed United Nigeria Airlines to improve its operations and comply with passenger rights regulations after concerns over flight disruptions and refunds.

• The NCAA warned United Nigeria against expanding routes beyond its available fleet capacity and directed it to reduce operations when aircraft are grounded by technical issues.
• The regulator raised concerns over passenger communication, particularly regarding delays and ticket refunds.
• United Nigeria apologised and promised to clear pending ticket refund cases within 14 days, the official refund timeline.
• In April 2025, Aero Contractors became the first Nigerian airline to comply with a consumer protection sanction imposed by the NCAA.

The NCAA said its regulatory framework is not intended to drive airlines out of business but to ensure sustainable, efficient and lawful operations while protecting passengers.