Air Peace Slashes London Fare to $3,000, Onyema Hails Tinubu for Breaking Foreign Airline Monopoly
- Nigerians passengers travelling to London can now heave a sigh of relief as Air Peace says it has slashed its fare
- Air Peace boss, Allen Onyema, attributed the crash in fares to President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the aviation sector
- He said the President’s bold move helped to break foreign airlines dominance in Nigeria
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
In a move that has reshaped Nigeria’s aviation industry, Air Peace Limited has reduced London flight fares from a staggering $13,000 to about $3,000, thanks to policy backing from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News, the airline’s chairman and CEO, Allen Onyema, credited the president’s decisive intervention for creating a fairer and more competitive international flight market that now benefits millions of Nigerians.
Source: UGC
Turning point for Nigeria’s aviation sector
“President Tinubu did the right thing for this country. His intervention forced foreign airlines to reduce their ticket prices drastically. Prices have come down from $13,000 to $3,000 from Abuja to Heathrow,” Onyema said.
Onyema described the milestone as a “turning point” in Nigeria’s aviation history and a shining example of what can happen when government and private enterprise work together.
“I want to congratulate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for pulling this off. This is an example of the government paving the way for the private sector to thrive.
No country develops without the private sector, because it is the private sector that embodies and implements the visions and aspirations of the government,” he said.
The development follows Air Peace’s historic Abuja–London Heathrow flight, which took off on Sunday, October 26, 2025.
According to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, the successful flight marked “a major milestone for Nigeria’s aviation industry.”
Affordable flying returns, competition heats up
The Air Peace boss said the new service has “saved Nigerians money and made flying affordable again,” noting that even British passengers have welcomed the price drop.
According to a Punch report, the Air Peace boss revealed that the airline now operates 14 weekly flights between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, covering both Lagos–London Gatwick and Abuja–London Heathrow routes, a first for any Nigerian carrier.
“It opened the corridor not just to Europe but to the entire world. Many of our passengers are connecting to America, Canada, and Asia through London, saving a lot of money with our affordable fares,” Onyema added.
He emphasized that Air Peace’s entry into the UK route has forced foreign airlines to review and cut their own prices, a benefit that extends beyond Air Peace’s customers.
“Even if you don’t fly Air Peace, you can now fly other airlines at reduced fares. Air Peace cannot fly everybody, but at least Nigerians now have a choice.”
Tinubu’s aviation vision paying off
Onyema also praised Festus Keyamo for faithfully executing the president’s vision, noting that under the current administration, Nigerian airlines have regained access to international leasing facilities for the first time in over 15 years.
“For over 15 years, the industry was blacklisted, but this administration changed everything.
They signed the Cape Town Convention Practice Direction that allows big leasing companies to come into Nigeria. The government has given Nigerian aviation a new lease of life,” he said.
He further commended the removal of the 4% FOB levy on imported aircraft parts, calling it a “responsive and investor-friendly” move that has boosted confidence in the sector.
“We’re not asking for money, just supportive policies. When we complained about the levy, the president removed it immediately. That’s what a listening government does,” he said.
Call for fairness and national pride
While celebrating Air Peace’s achievements, Onyema cautioned against internal sabotage and bureaucratic hostility toward indigenous enterprises.
“Some people still suffer from pull-him-down syndrome. Destroying a company like Air Peace that employs over 10,000 Nigerians harms the nation. When people lose jobs, insecurity rises,” he warned.
Onyema reaffirmed that Air Peace’s success story belongs to all Nigerians.
“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 the government and the private sector work together.”
Source: UGC
Backed by diplomacy and determination
The milestone flight, according to Minister Keyamo, was the product of sustained diplomatic negotiations and Nigeria’s insistence on reciprocity in international air agreements.
He said the breakthrough followed a letter sent by the Ministry of Aviation to the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Rt. Hon. Louise Haigh, on August 1, 2024, demanding fair treatment for Nigerian carriers.
Today, that diplomatic effort has paid off, and Nigerian travelers are the biggest winners.
Air Peace launches historic Lagos–Caribbean flights
Legit.ng earlier reported that after conquering London’s Heathrow route, Air Peace was soaring across the Atlantic.
Nigeria’s largest airline announced plans to launch direct flights from Lagos through Accra to Antigua and Barbados in the Caribbean, starting December 21, 2025.
The new route marked a historic milestone for West Africa, offering the first-ever direct link between the region and the Caribbean.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
