BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
Air Peace and its charismatic founder, Dr. Allen Onyema, emerged the biggest winners at the maiden Nigeria International Air Show, held from December 2–4, 2025 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, an event that has now etched their names deeper into the continent’s aviation history.
The airline clinched the coveted “Airline of the Year” Award, while Onyema was honored as “Aviation Executive of the Year,” underscoring the carrier’s stellar rise and the visionary leadership behind its growth.
Presenting the award for Airline of the Year, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the recognition reflected Air Peace’s “meteoric rise and transformative impact on Nigeria’s aviation sector.”
For a carrier that began operations in 2014 with Dornier 328s and Boeing 737 classics, the feat is a testament to relentless expansion and strategic foresight.
Today, Air Peace operates one of the most diverse and modern fleets in Africa, comprising Boeing 777 wide-bodies, state-of-the-art Embraer 195-E2 jets, and several narrow-body and regional aircraft.
This fleet modernization has supported its aggressive route expansion across Nigeria, West Africa, and now major global hubs.
A defining highlight of that expansion came in 2024 when the airline launched the Lagos–London Gatwick service—its first direct entry into the fiercely competitive European market.
In late 2025, it broke another historic barrier by inaugurating the first-ever direct Abuja–London Heathrow flight by a Nigerian airline.
The milestone cemented Air Peace’s status as a continental giant capable of competing with global carriers on premium routes.
“These achievements—fleet modernization, expanded networks, and bold long-haul flights—show why Air Peace stood out this year,” Keyamo noted, adding that the award represents “the airline’s role in reshaping Nigeria’s aviation landscape and restoring national pride.”
If Air Peace’s trophy was about operational excellence, Onyema’s recognition as “Aviation Executive of the Year” captured the spirit, grit, and determination behind the brand’s rise.
The award, presented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Dr. Yakubu Adam Kofamata, celebrated Onyema’s unwavering commitment to driving Nigeria’s aviation renaissance.
Dr. Kofamata described Onyema as “a visionary whose bold leadership has redefined what is possible for Nigerian airlines.”
Under his stewardship, Air Peace transformed from a startup into West and Central Africa’s largest privately owned airline—one built on the philosophy that aviation can be a vehicle for economic empowerment.
Onyema has repeatedly emphasized that Air Peace was founded “to create jobs, empower people, and connect cities long ignored by larger carriers.”
His push for extensive domestic and regional connectivity opened the skies to millions of Nigerians while stimulating commerce in underserved areas.
On the global front, Onyema’s ambition has been even more consequential.
He personally championed the Lagos–London and Abuja–London routes, arguing that Nigerians deserved a competitive national presence on long-haul corridors.
That Abuja–London Heathrow service, launched in 2025, remains his most symbolic achievement—proof that a Nigerian carrier can compete head-to-head with global airlines on elite routes.
Beyond business, Onyema’s leadership has reshaped perceptions of Nigerian aviation. He has shown that a local airline can operate safely, expand fearlessly, and still embody national pride.
His “Aviation Executive of the Year” award reinforces a legacy built not on incremental progress but on bold leaps.
It celebrates his drive to connect Africa more robustly to the world while lifting Nigerians through jobs, connectivity, and global visibility.
As the curtains closed on the maiden Nigeria International Air Show, one narrative stood out clearly: Air Peace is not just flying higher, it is redefining Africa’s aviation future.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
