The Federal Government is considering sanctions against Air Peace, United Nigeria Airlines and other domestic carriers over the rising number of flight delays in the country.
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The move follows a report by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) showing that thousands of domestic flights scheduled for August 2026 failed to operate on time.
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According to the NCAA report, 4,765 of the 7,961 flights scheduled during the month were delayed, meaning nearly six out of every 10 domestic flights did not operate according to schedule.
Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines recorded the highest proportions of delayed flights among the carriers listed in the report, with 71 per cent and 76 per cent of their flights respectively affected.
The figures have renewed concerns over the experience of domestic air passengers, who are also dealing with high ticket prices.
The NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said the aviation regulator had begun taking steps to address the situation.
He disclosed that the authority had held meetings with Air Peace, United Nigeria Airlines and Max Air over their operational records and had issued stern warnings to the affected airlines.
Achimugu also advised passengers to consider other carriers when booking flights if their preferred airline continued to experience repeated delays.
An aviation industry expert, Capt. John Ojikutu, attributed the persistent delays and cancellations to weak enforcement of aviation regulations and poor planning by some airlines.
Ojikutu, the Chief Executive Officer of Centurion Aviation Security and Safety Consult, said Nigeria already had regulations designed to protect air passengers, but questioned how effectively the rules were being enforced by the relevant authorities.
He maintained that passengers who experience violations have avenues for reporting such incidents, but said regulatory agencies must take appropriate action after receiving complaints.
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The aviation expert also cited his personal experience of repeated flight boarding before an alternative aircraft was eventually provided, resulting in a much later return to Lagos.
Ojikutu argued that some airlines were also affected by inadequate business planning, particularly when selecting routes and determining the size and number of aircraft to deploy.
He questioned the number of carriers operating several daily flights between Lagos and Abuja, saying airlines needed to properly assess passenger demand before committing large aircraft to particular routes.
According to him, airlines could improve their operations by serving routes where there is sufficient passenger demand instead of concentrating heavily on the Lagos-Abuja corridor.
He referred to the operational structure of the former Nigerian Airways, which used larger aircraft on major routes while smaller aircraft connected regional destinations to major airports.
Ojikutu said a similar approach could help distribute passenger traffic and make domestic airline operations more sustainable.
He also raised concerns about airlines using large aircraft with insufficient passenger loads, arguing that such practices could increase operational difficulties and weaken their businesses.
The aviation expert further called for airlines to establish operational bases outside Lagos, noting that excessive concentration in one location could put pressure on the sector.
He proposed categorising airports according to passenger traffic and adjusting charges to encourage airlines to operate more regional routes.
Under such an arrangement, airlines could connect cities such as Kaduna, Jos, Minna and Sokoto with major airports, allowing passengers from less-served areas to reach larger destinations through regional connections.
Ojikutu also expressed concern about the short operating lifespan of several Nigerian airlines, linking the trend partly to weak business planning.
He said the NCAA should ensure that airlines present credible and sustainable business plans before commencing operations, while also providing effective regulatory oversight to improve compliance and protect passengers.
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