By Peter Omopo
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace Limited, Allen Onyema, has credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing the crucial policy support that enabled the airline’s historic Abuja–London Heathrow flight and drastically reduced international airfares.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Wednesday, Onyema said Tinubu’s intervention compelled foreign airlines to cut their ticket prices from as high as $13,000 to about $3,000.
“I want to congratulate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for pulling this off,” Onyema said. “This is a clear example of government creating an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive. No nation develops without the private sector — they are the drivers of a government’s vision.”
He added, “President Tinubu did the right thing for this country. His action forced foreign airlines to bring down their fares. We’ve brought the Abuja–London flight from $13,000 to $3,000.”
Air Peace made history on Sunday with its maiden direct flight from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to the London Heathrow Airport — a move described by aviation experts as a breakthrough for Nigeria’s aviation industry.
In a statement issued through his aide, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said, “The flight, which took off on Sunday, October 26, 2025, marks a major milestone for Nigeria’s aviation sector and reflects the renewed confidence in local carriers.”
Onyema said the development has made air travel more affordable for Nigerians and introduced healthy competition on international routes. “Even Britons on our flights were happy because competition has finally arrived,” he noted.
The Air Peace boss disclosed that the airline now operates 14 weekly flights between Nigeria and the United Kingdom — covering both the Lagos–London Gatwick and Abuja–London Heathrow routes — the first time any Nigerian carrier has achieved this.
“This has opened a new corridor not only to Europe but to the world,” Onyema said. “Our passengers are connecting to America, Canada, and Asia through London at far cheaper rates.”
Onyema also praised the aviation minister for implementing the president’s vision for the industry, noting that Nigerian airlines have regained access to international leasing facilities after more than 15 years of exclusion.
“I cannot stop praising Festus Keyamo. He is implementing Mr President’s vision 100 per cent. For over 15 years, Nigerian airlines couldn’t lease aircraft due to blacklisting, but this administration changed that by signing the Cape Town Convention Practice Direction,” he said.
He further commended the government’s prompt removal of the 4% Free on Board (FOB) levy on imported aircraft parts, describing it as a “listening and responsive policy” that has boosted investor confidence in the sector.
However, Onyema cautioned against what he described as “bureaucratic hostility” toward indigenous businesses. “Some people still suffer from a pull-him-down syndrome. Destroying a company like Air Peace that employs over 10,000 Nigerians harms the country. When people lose jobs, insecurity increases,” he warned.
The airline chief reaffirmed Air Peace’s commitment to promoting Nigeria’s image globally. “Air Peace is not about Allen Onyema — it’s about Nigeria. Every time we fly our flag in London, we show what Nigerians can achieve when government and the private sector work together,” he said.
Earlier this year, Minister Keyamo had explained that the landmark London route followed sustained diplomatic negotiations with the United Kingdom to enforce reciprocity in air travel agreements. The development stemmed from a letter the Nigerian government sent to the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Rt. Hon. Louise Haigh, on August 1, 2024.
