The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a stern warning to Qatar Airways over repeated violations of Nigerian aviation consumer protection laws, threatening strict sanctions if the airline continues to disregard regulations.

Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Relations and Consumer Protection, revealed that the airline has failed to comply with Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023 and has ignored official determinations issued by the authority.

The warning comes after an incident involving a Nigerian passenger and his wife traveling on a Lagos–Doha–United States flight. The passenger was accused of misconduct by a Qatar Airways cabin crew member only upon arrival in Doha, leading to his arrest, 18-hour detention, and the imposition of a hefty fine. The passenger was reportedly forced to sign a document written solely in Arabic and, despite this, Qatar Airways refused to fly him to his final destination, forcing him to purchase another ticket at great cost.

When the NCAA invited Qatar Airways for a meeting to discuss the matter, the airline’s country manager did not attend and instead sent subordinates. Subsequent complaints, as well as a formal Letter of Investigation (LOI), were reportedly ignored.

“This behaviour will no longer be tolerated,” Achimugu said. “It is against Nigerian law for any airline to ignore NCAA communications, provide false information, or fail to comply with Part 19 regulations. Airlines must respect our consumer protection laws just as they follow rules in other countries.”

He added that the NCAA, led by Director General Captain Chris Najomo, is committed to enforcing strict penalties against any airline that flouts Nigerian regulations.

Achimugu also noted that while some countries may lack comprehensive consumer protection systems, Nigeria expects all foreign carriers operating within its borders to fully respect its laws.