Nigerians Pay World’s Cheapest Domestic Airfares – Air Peace CEO

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, has ignited a nationwide debate after asserting that Nigerians pay the cheapest domestic airfares anywhere in the world, even during peak travel periods.

Speaking on Arise News during a programme titled “Nigerian Aviation in 2025: Matters Arising,” Onyema defended the rising cost of local flights amid the festive travel surge.

A clip from the interview, shared widely on X (formerly Twitter), quickly went viral, drawing sharp criticism from Nigerians who compared local ticket prices to cheaper international alternatives.

PAY ATTENTION: Follow The Lagos Voice on WhatsApp channel for latest updates

“Nigerians are flying the cheapest fares in the world domestically—they’re the cheapest, and I’ll prove it to you,” Onyema said during the broadcast.

To support his argument, Onyema referenced airfares in the United States and Europe.

He claimed that a one-way Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Charleston, lasting under an hour, costs between $399 and $459 in basic economy.

Converted at Nigeria’s prevailing exchange rate of roughly ₦1,450 to the dollar, he argued that such fares exceed ₦600,000.

Nigerians Are Paying the Cheapest Domestic Air Fares in the World

A one-hour flight costs over $400 abroad, but in Nigeria, we still have tickets for N125,000, which is less than $60.

~Allen Onyema, Chairman & CEO, Air Peace says

pic.twitter.com/kO943mrKEx

— Nigeria Stories (@NigeriaStories) December 28, 2025

By contrast, Onyema stated that domestic Nigerian routes such as Lagos–Abuja still offer tickets between ₦115,000 and ₦125,000 during peak periods.

He made a similar comparison with Europe, citing a British Airways flight from London to Manchester, priced at about £287 one-way, which he converted to more than ₦500,000.

According to Onyema, these examples demonstrate that Nigerian passengers are paying far less than travelers elsewhere.

The Air Peace boss stressed that Nigerian airlines operate under far harsher economic conditions than their foreign counterparts.

He cited borrowing costs of up to 35 percent interest, compared to as low as 2 percent abroad, as well as the high cost of aircraft maintenance and spare parts, which are entirely imported.

Onyema also highlighted the fragile nature of the local aviation industry, noting that over 80 Nigerian airlines have collapsed over the years.

“Nothing is produced in Nigeria. We import everything,” he said, appealing for public understanding and support. “Please, they should let Nigerian airlines be. Enough is enough.”