“Dr. Allen Onyema has warned that cutting corners on safety is the quickest path to bankruptcy, stressing that Air Peace and other Nigerian airlines treat safety as an absolute priority—one that has kept the industry’s record strong for over a decade”.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace Nigeria Limited, Dr. Allen Onyema, has declared that air safety is non-negotiable at the airline, adding that all local carriers are equally safe to be flown with confidence.
Speaking on Day 2 of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) National Aviation Conference (FNAC), Onyema said his personal fear (phobia) of flying has pushed him to invest in only the world’s best and most expensive maintenance providers.
During the panel session on “Trust, Safety and Governance: Reinforcing Confidence in Nigeria’s Skies,” Onyema revealed that Air Peace relies on the Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI)—a globally renowned Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) organisation, to handle its aircraft maintenance. He explained that while IAI is costly, the airline cannot compromise on safety:“Safety is not negotiable. It is the backbone of passenger confidence. Because of the importance I attach to it—and my phobia for flying—I chose the best MRO in the world”.
Onyema stressed that for any airline to thrive and earn public trust, safety must remain a top priority. He insisted that all Nigerian airlines are safe, urging passengers to patronise them confidently instead of constantly favouring foreign carriers.
He expressed concern over Nigerians’ reluctance to support local airlines, despite the sector’s strong safety record—a record he says is reinforced by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s (NCAA) rigorous oversight.
“All Nigerian airlines are very safe. Fly them. I speak not just for Air Peace but for the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON). In the last 12 years, Nigerian airlines have not been falling from the skies because of NCAA’s serious oversight. Cutting corners in safety is the fastest way to go out of business”, he noted.
Onyema encouraged travellers to board any Nigerian carrier, including the smallest ones—without fear, reaffirming that the industry treats safety with utmost seriousness.
He added that his own commitment to safety shapes even his personal travel decisions:
“Since I floated Air Peace, I have not flown any other airline. Even when Air Peace wasn’t flying, I used my own Boeing 777 aircraft”.
Onyema’s remarks highlighted the aviation sector’s safety culture while reinforcing the need for investment, trust, and national support to elevate Nigeria’s skies.