Stakeholders in Nigeria’s aviation and legal sectors converged in Lagos for a high-level workshop aimed at strengthening awareness and enforcement of air passengers’ rights under the law.
The one-day workshop, themed “Air Passengers’ Rights Under the Law: Ethical Obligations and Strategic Compliance,” was organised by the Juweirat Law Resource Centre in collaboration with Synergy Attornies.
The event brought together legal practitioners, aviation regulators, industry experts and other stakeholders to examine the legal frameworks governing passenger protection and airline responsibilities both within Nigeria and internationally.
Host of the workshop, Abiodun Jelili Owonikoko, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Principal Partner at Synergy Attornies, stressed the need to deepen public awareness of passengers’ rights while encouraging ethical compliance across the aviation industry.
The keynote address was delivered on behalf of the Minister of Aviation and Airspace Development, Festus Keyamo, by representatives of the ministry and relevant aviation agencies. The address reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to improving passenger protection, strengthening regulatory oversight and ensuring accountability within the country’s aviation sector.
Prominent speakers at the workshop included Michael Achimugu of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority; Toyin Bashorun, Principal Partner at Churchfields Solicitors; Kehinde Ojuawo of Banwo and Ighodalo; and Ibrahim Omale.
The speakers examined key issues affecting air travellers, including flight delays and cancellations, baggage loss, denied boarding, aviation insurance, passenger safety and airline obligations during service disruptions.
Discussions also highlighted the significance of the Montreal Convention, a major international agreement that governs airline liability and compensation in cases involving delayed flights, lost baggage and passenger injury during travel.
Participants further explored passengers’ entitlements to refreshments during extended delays, hotel accommodation and meals during cancellations, as well as notification timelines required for changes to domestic and international flights.
Further details obtained by this online newspaper revealed that the workshop also addressed aviation security protocols, passenger conduct and jurisdictional challenges often encountered in resolving international aviation disputes.
The event attracted a packed audience and a strong online participation, reflecting growing public interest in consumer protection and accountability within Nigeria’s aviation sector.
An interactive question-and-answer session enabled participants to engage speakers directly on practical issues relating to airline accountability, compensation procedures and enforcement of aviation regulations.
At the end of the workshop, awards of appreciation were presented to the speakers in recognition of their contributions to advancing dialogue on aviation law and passenger protection.
In his closing remarks, Owonikoko urged the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to consider engaging licensing agents as a practical mechanism for resolving passenger complaints and claims more efficiently.
He expressed optimism that effective small-claims and conflict resolution mechanisms within the aviation industry would strengthen consumer confidence and improve service delivery across Nigeria’s air transport sector.