United Nigeria Airlines (UNA), says it is fully prepared to commence its inaugural regional flight operations — a direct, non-stop service from Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria, to Accra, Ghana — on Monday, November 10, 2025.
The chairman of UNA, Professor Obiora Okonkwo, after inspection disclosed this while briefing journalists after the preparatory tour of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, ahead of the scheduled inaugural flight.
LEADERSHIP gathered that UNA’s Flight NUA 0590 will depart the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 10:35 a.m., and arrive at the Kotoka International Airport, Accra.
The airline said the Accra flight underscores its vision of fostering stronger regional integration, enhancing trade and tourism and promoting cultural exchange across West Africa, marking UNA’s first international operation since the airline began commercial flights in February 2021.
The UNA chairman expressed satisfaction with the modalities on ground and assured Nigerians and all passengers of their safety and convenience using the airline, adding with announcement for the maiden flight to Ghana, other operators have slashed their fares by 50%.
“So far, I can see that the team is almost ready, the tools are here, the technology has been tested and it seems to be working, it’s working very well from my observation and also I’ve seen the synergy between all the teams that are integral part of this process.
“We know all the details from the profiling, from the checking, the boarding pass issues, the immigration, and then the final checking, and then getting to the ramp. It is good. I am happy that we’ve come to this stage so far, and this is exactly in line with the vision, the expansion programme of United Nigerian Airlines.
“We’ve just conducted a mock exercise today, but I also know that starting with Ghana itself, a regional flight is testing the map for us, because we’re preparing also to expand to other regional, intercontinental and eventually across within Africa, across the world, across the Atlantic, and then we told you what’s going on,” Okonkwo said.
He said the Nigeria- Ghana direct flight is not just about offering services but giving alternatives and options to Nigerians, noting that before UNA announcement, there was only one airline operating the route on a direct flight.
“By just mere announcing that United Nigerian Airlines will be starting, they’ve cut their fare by 50%. And I think that’s probably the only news Nigerians want to hear, of course. So, having Nigeria Airlines active, envisioning within the continent flights and international, can only be a great benefit to our travellers.
“It will also save capital flights because, apart from Air Peace that is surely doing us proud in those areas, it can only take us much. There is still a lot of room for other airlines to participate because, despite all that, there are a whole lot of other foreign airlines that do come in and go out of here with passenger full.
“We’re only assuring Nigerians that the standard they’re getting from Nigerian operators is nothing less. If anything, it should be more. In terms of safety, we are regulated three times more than any other regulatory agency in the world, I can tell you. Typically, for instance, our pilots and cabin crew are captains,” he said.
The former All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant for Anambra State said the aircraft going to Ghana was named after the country’s former president, Jerry Rawlings, to mark five years of his memorial.
“So we are flying into Ghana with an aircraft dedicated to his memory. And the family in Ghana are very excited. And they will be on ground to welcome us and offer the aircraft. So this is not just flying. This is uniting people, but in terms of diplomacy, relationship and economic development,”he said.
Okonkwo, disclosed that the airline has a lot of aircrafts on ground and within the next 10 days, it will be receiving additional two aircrafts to boost UNA services.
While lamenting the taxes in the Nigeria’s aviation sector the UNA chairman said: “it is huge. The passenger tax here in this airport is $100. In Ghana, it’s $60. I do not see the reason why ours is higher.
“Nigeria is probably one of the most taxed countries in aviation. Even beyond the passenger tax. There are so many deductions that you have to make on these tickets. And perhaps, these are still high-cost air tickets.”
He called on the federal government to look into the issues of taxes and other challenges affecting the aviation sector which is critical to the economic development of the country.
“The way out is for government to hear our cry and do something about it. It’s in their hands. This is just a matter of we remove this, we remove this, we reduce this. It must be done. And it must be done quickly. Because we don’t have any other support from the government.
“On top of that, government should support the private initiative. We want to access funding, not grant, not free, but a single window, which is available to so many sectors. This is a very critical sector. This is an enabler, it’s a catalyst. And it must have to be together.
“Without aviation services, we cannot achieve any economic development because logistics, movement of people is very critical. We are working on a trillion-dollar economy. This trillion-dollar economy must be flying on one aircraft or another. If people don’t fly, we cannot achieve it. So this must have to come from the backstage of the government interest to number one,” Okonkwo added.
