Air Peace has called on the Federal Government to accelerate efforts toward establishing fully functional transit hubs in Lagos and Abuja to boost the competitiveness and survival of Nigerian carriers on the highly lucrative UK route.
This appeal was made on Wednesday in Lagos by Air Peace’s Chief Commercial Officer, Nowel Ngala, who represented the Chairman, Barr. Allen Onyema, at the inaugural lecture organised by SAPTCO Communications Ltd with the theme: “International Aeropolitics: The Survival of Nigerian Carriers on the London Route.”
Ngala said the creation of seamless transit hubs in Nigeria is now crucial for airlines like Air Peace to compete effectively with foreign carriers that dominate the London market by connecting Nigerian passengers through their global hubs.
He noted that although Air Peace has made major strides on the UK route since launching direct flights from Lagos to London-Gatwick in March 2024, progress would accelerate significantly if passengers could transit through Nigerian airports without the current inconvenience of reclaiming and rechecking luggage.
“Our earnest prayer now is the establishment of a full hub system in Lagos and Abuja,” Ngala said. “This will allow seamless connections for transit passengers instead of forcing them to arrive, pick up luggage, and check in again. With proper hub operations, Nigerian carriers can attract more traffic from surrounding regions into Nigeria and then onward to London.”
Ngala also highlighted that the UK–Nigeria route remains the largest and busiest international market for Nigeria, with over 450,000 travelers annually.
British Airways, he noted, has operated on the route for more than 90 years, while other major international airlines still carry about 29% of Nigerian traffic to London through foreign hubs such as Doha, Istanbul, Paris, and Addis Ababa.
He described Air Peace’s strides as historic, noting that the Nigerian flag carrier has helped reshape competitive dynamics on the route.
The airline now operates daily flights from Lagos to Gatwick, three weekly Abuja–Heathrow flights on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, as well as three weekly Abuja–Gatwick flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
He further said demand on the route continues to grow, validating Air Peace’s efforts to give Nigerians affordable, direct, and reliable options to the UK.
Ngala expressed gratitude to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Minister of Aviation, and the Federal Government for ensuring strong regulatory and diplomatic backing for Air Peace, especially on the London route.
He also thanked Nigerian travelers for their continued support and patience as the airline expands its international footprint.
“We assure the public that Air Peace will continue to provide all necessary support to grow Nigeria’s aviation industry,” he said.
The inaugural SAPTCO lecture brought together aviation experts, regulators, and industry players to discuss aeropolitics, bilateral air agreements, and how Nigerian airlines can compete fairly on international routes historically dominated by foreign carriers.
