Michael Achimugu, the spokesperson for the National Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has shared a distressing experience that highlights a deep-seated issue with night shift work ethics in Nigeria. In the early hours of Tuesday, January 2nd, 2026, Achimugu faced a critical situation when a hospital cashier prioritized sleep over attending to his medical emergency.
A Father's Desperate Plea Ignored
Around 2 a.m., Achimugu rushed his daughter to a hospital following a sudden medical emergency. After initial assessments, he needed to make payments for lab tests and medication to proceed with her treatment. He approached the hospital's cashier point, only to find the staff member sleeping soundly at her desk.
"I called her attention. She woke up briefly, mumbled a few words, and returned to sleep," Achimugu recounted on his social media platform X. He described standing there for about ten minutes, conflicted between anger and empathy, as the cashier comfortably adjusted her duvet and resumed her "blissful sleep."
Doctor's Intervention Saves Precious Time
The situation was only resolved when a medical doctor happened to pass by. After Achimugu reported the issue, the doctor intervened. The cashier then, with visible reluctance, finally attended to the payment. Achimugu expressed profound gratitude that the doctor had already begun emergency care for his daughter, preventing a dangerous 15-minute delay that could have been critical depending on her ailment.
Thankfully, his daughter was later stabilised, but the incident left a lasting impression on the aviation official about systemic failures.
A Broader Critique of Nigeria's Night Shift Culture
Using his personal ordeal as a springboard, Michael Achimugu launched a pointed critique of the attitude prevalent among many night-shift workers in Nigeria. He argued that the core purpose of a night shift is undermined when staff sleep on duty.
"A night shift staff is expected to have taken care of sleep during the day," he stated. He contrasted the Nigerian experience with practices abroad, citing an example from the Pullman Hotel in Dubai where front desk staff are not provided chairs to prevent comfort-induced drowsiness and ensure prompt customer service.
Achimugu expressed frustration with common retorts from sleeping staff when confronted, such as "Oga, am I not a human being?" and the subsequent "gaslighting" by management who accuse complainants of lacking empathy. "I detest this. It is called SHIFT for a reason. That is your duty time," he emphasized.
Call for Systemic Monitoring and Higher Standards
Drawing from his professional role, Achimugu proposed concrete solutions. He revealed that his department at the NCAA is in the final stages of automating staff monitoring to prevent situations where officials claim to be on duty but are actually at home.
He made a passionate appeal for a cultural shift: "We must embrace a work culture that places the highest possible standards on night-shift staff. Those are crucial hours where time should not be lost. Customers/patients are most vulnerable at night." He concluded by firmly stating that work, if it must be done, must be done well, removing any emotional perspective from the basic requirement of professional duty.
The incident, shared publicly, has sparked widespread discussion on accountability, professionalism, and the urgent need to reform service delivery during critical off-peak hours in Nigerian institutions.
