BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
Nigeria’s aviation giants took the spotlight in Abuja as Air Peace, its Chairman Dr. Allen Ifechukwu Onyema and the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo, received top honours at the Nigerian Institute of Transport and Logistics (NITL) Annual Excellence Awards.
At the ceremony held at NICON Hotel, Air Peace emerged “Airline of the Year,” while Dr. Onyema was named “Trailblazer in Transport and Logistics.”
Both awards celebrate Air Peace’s extraordinary impact on the aviation sector and Onyema’s bold leadership, which continues to transform Nigeria’s air transport narrative.
“This recognition reaffirms our belief that Nigerian airlines can compete globally with excellence, innovation, and integrity. Air Peace’s success is the story of Nigeria’s resilience and potential”, Dr Onyema said.
The airline’s recognition follows a series of impressive milestones, most notably its historic Abuja–London Heathrow route, making Air Peace the first Nigerian carrier to operate direct flights from the nation’s capital to the United Kingdom’s busiest airport.
The achievement has been widely praised for boosting Nigeria’s global connectivity, trade, and tourism while projecting the nation’s aviation prowess on the international stage.
The Trailblazer Award bestowed on Onyema highlights his pioneering spirit and sustained contribution to building a modern, competitive aviation industry that creates jobs, enhances regional integration, and inspires investor confidence.
“Our vision has always been to use aviation as a catalyst for economic development. These awards motivate us to keep pushing boundaries and raising standards”, he added.
In the same vein, Capt. Chris Najomo, the NCAA’s Director-General, was honoured with two prestigious distinctions, the “Leadership Award in Transport and Logistics Governance” and the “Distinguished Trailblazer Award in Transport and Logistics.”
The honours, presented during the Nigeria Transport and Logistics Leadership Summit, recognise Najomo’s commitment to strengthening aviation governance, safety standards, and institutional reforms. Dr. (Mrs.) Anastasia Gbem, NCAA’s Director of Human Resources and Administration, received the awards on his behalf.
“Aviation is central to Nigeria’s economic transformation, it connects markets, supports industries, and creates opportunities,” Najomo said in his goodwill message at the event themed “Building Sustainable Transport and Logistics Infrastructure in Nigeria: Current Trends and Future Insights.”
Industry stakeholders and dignitaries at the twin events hailed both Onyema and Najomo as reform-driven leaders whose work continues to elevate Nigeria’s standing in global aviation.
“These recognitions are well-deserved,” one industry executive remarked. “They reflect vision, discipline, and a shared commitment to excellence.”
With Air Peace expanding routes and the NCAA deepening regulatory reforms, Nigeria’s aviation sector is entering a new era of growth and global competitiveness, driven by leaders determined to make the nation’s skies a model of safety, innovation and pride.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
