The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a directive to all domestic and international airlines operating in the country to comply with the First-Need Compensation regulation in cases where passengers’ luggage is short-landed.
Short-landed baggage refers to checked-in luggage that fails to arrive with the passenger at their destination but is instead delivered on a later flight.
According to Part 19 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCAR) 2023, affected domestic passengers are entitled to a compensation of ₦10,000, while international passengers are to receive $170.
The compensation is intended to help passengers purchase essential items while awaiting the arrival of their delayed baggage.
For international airlines, if the compensation outlined in their terms of carriage is not paid promptly, a default payment of $170 becomes mandatory, without any deductions.
At a stakeholders’ meeting held in Abuja with regional managers of domestic airlines, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr. Michael Achimugu, stated that the Authority would begin imposing sanctions on airlines that fail to comply with the regulation.
“This engagement should be the last time we’re discussing the issue of First Need compensation,” Achimugu said.
“The regulations are very clear. The CAA has already sent multiple letters to the airlines, but compliance has been poor.
“Some station managers claim to be unaware of these rules. So we decided to have this meeting to understand where the breakdown has been.”
He emphasized that if a passenger’s baggage does not arrive on the same flight, the airline must pay the passenger ₦10,000 and deliver the luggage to the passenger’s address within seven days at no additional cost.
He noted that many passengers are unaware of their rights and are often made to come to the airport to retrieve their baggage themselves—an act that contravenes the regulation.
Achimugu urged airlines to comply fully with the regulation and encouraged them to pay the First-Need compensation to affected passengers before complaints escalate to the NCAA.
He also acknowledged the challenges faced by domestic airlines, such as narrow profit margins and operational constraints, but stressed that regulations must still be upheld.
Speaking further, Mrs. Ifueko Abdulmalik, Senior Special Assistant to the NCAA Director-General, explained that if the delivery of the baggage is delayed for an extended period, passengers have the right to additional compensation—provided they present receipts for essential items purchased due to the inconvenience.
In their response, airline representatives appealed to the NCAA to liaise with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and terminal operators to repair faulty infrastructure, such as broken conveyor belts, which they said often contribute to baggage handling delays.
