More than half of all domestic flights were delayed in August 2026, according to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines caused the largest share of the disruption.
Data shows that out of 7,961 domestic flights operated across 15 airlines, 4,765 — just under 60% — took off late. The delays translated into lost work hours, missed meetings, and mounting anxiety for passengers.
Air Peace recorded the highest number of delays: 1,330 out of 1,864 flights operated, meaning over seven in every 10 ran late. United Nigeria Airlines followed with 943 delays out of 1,231 flights.
Enugu Air posted 582 delays from 878 flights, while ValueJet recorded 435 from 767. Aero Contractors had 246 delays from 469 flights, Ibom Air 254 from 560, and Arik Air 188 from 301.
Max Air recorded 204 delays from 336 flights, Rano Air 216 from 503, Overland 139 from 239, and Green Africa 114 from 226. Precision Air, Xejet, and Umza Air recorded 22, 40, and 52 delays respectively, while NG Eagle operated no flights.
Hours lost, plans isrupted
Most disruptions — 2,801 flights — were delayed by 16 minutes to an hour. This pattern frequently cost business travellers critical schedules or connecting flights.
Another 1,322 flights were delayed by one to two hours, and 407 by two to three hours. Additionally, 235 flights were held up for three hours or longer.
Cancellations were comparatively rare, totaling 36 scheduled flights (roughly 0.5%). United Nigeria recorded eight cancellations, Air Peace seven, and Enugu Air four.
NCAA Director-General Chris Najomo summoned Air Peace and Max Air to Abuja on September 10 over continuing delays and crew shortages.
Najomo urged airlines to match flight schedules to their available aircraft and crew. He stressed that contingency planning and passenger communication must improve.
Speaking on Channels Television, Najomo argued that delays occur worldwide. He noted his focus is on ensuring airlines manage stranded passengers properly when disruptions happen.
The NCAA’s consumer protection department reminded operators to provide refreshments after two-hour delays and meals after six hours. Regulations also mandate accommodation, refunds, or compensation where applicable.
Domestic flights remain the only practical travel option across Nigeria due to security risks and lengthy road travel. Consequently, passengers absorb the costs of lost productivity and out-of-pocket expenses when delays occur.
Carriers continue to face high aviation fuel costs, foreign exchange pressures, and fleet constraints. However, regulators emphasize that these pressures do not excuse poor scheduling practices.
Discover more from Pluboard
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.