New Taxation Law Will Cripple Airlines If Implemented, Air Peace Boss Insists

The chairman/chief executive of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, said the proposed tax law taking effect from January 1, 2026, will crippled Nigerian airlines if implemented.

Onyema said the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) will visit President Bola Tinubu to look into ways of managing the new tax laws with the airlines as it is capable of destroying the airline industry in the country.

Speaking on behalf of the Airlines Operators of Nigeria at 100 years celebration of Aviation in Nigeria, in Abuja, Onyema said: “We are going to meet members of the National Assembly very soon, together with our minister to discuss the issues of taxation that are supposed to come into effect on January 1, 2026, as it affects the airlines. Because if it is allowed to stand, all of us will crumble. But I know Mr. President will listen to our cries and do the needful.”

Speaking further on the aviation industry, Onyema said “first of all, I want to pay my respect to the zonal and national leaders. Nigeria has never, ever enjoyed the kind of support we are having today in the aviation industry. I want you to think back to the years before now and compare what we are getting today as airlines.

We are the ones who truly bear the burden as airlines. We are the ones to tell the story—whether it is good or bad—and no other person can tell it better than the airlines. And here, I represent not just a piece of us; I represent the entire AON as one of their leaders. And when we speak, we speak without fear. We are not afraid to criticize when necessary. We are not afraid to stand up against anything when necessary. And when it is necessary for us to applaud and commend, we do so with equal vigour.

“And today, I want to celebrate our President, and I really do not care whose ox is gored, because this President has helped the aviation industry, first and foremost, with the kind of appointment he made. I remember when I met him in the Villa, I told him several times, clearly enough for him to hear and understand that someday, Mr. President, you will thank God Almighty for allowing you to appoint Mr. Keyamo to this position.

“Our industry was almost dead. Nigerian airlines were suffering under a demonised status. We were all demonised as not being effective. We were all demonised as lacking capacity. We were all demonised as if nothing good could come out of us. Nobody had faith in us. The country was made to see us as a very hopeless sector—never mind the fact that the owners of these airlines, as private-sector operators, are very selfless in what they do for the entire nation; and that these were the same people moving the country forward, strategically powering the economy and the movement of the people. Yet, we did not get our flowers.

“Now we have a change—where a minister has decided that every day of his life, he is out there trying to improve the lot of all of you here, the airlines.”

Also speaking, the minister of aviation and aerospace development Festus Keyamo said the award was in recognition of the contributions of some many people in the past in shaping the aviation industry, noting that “this was why we thought it fits that we needed to honor all the veterans who had held this industry, who had suffered for this industry, who had worked hard to build this industry before we got here. And I am sure you have seen all of them today, aeronautical engineers, captains, even sky caterers, those who have catered for those flying for us for many years, we honor all of them today. But we also want to apologize for those we may have omitted.

“We want to apologise, we are not, we are not perfect. There are other heroes beyond this list. We’re trying to manage this to 40, but at the end of the day, we still feel we have to have 47 or so, because by the time we publish the first list, you know, we realize that so many other were also omitted. So this is a general shout out and, you know, appreciation to all those who were not mentioned at some other time, we are going to mention them again. But this 100 years is a watershed in our journey in this country as an aviation sector. We want to appeal to all of you to continue to learn your voice of wisdom, your sense of judgment, your advice to all of us here.”

Among the awardees are: Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, founder of Okada Air; Late Alhaji Ahmadu Dan kabo, founder of Kabo Air; Capt Robert Hayes, Nigeria’s first certified pilot; Chief Mbazulike Amechi, former Minister of Aviation and instrumental in establishing Nigerian Airways; Chief Allen Ifechukwu Onyema, Air Peace founder, promoted local content and invested in Nigerian youths’ training; Dr Emmanuel Enekwechi, contributed to the aviation industry’s growth; Capt. August Okpe, founder and CEO of Okpe Aviation Services, Nigeria’s first indigenous aviation engineering company.

Others include: Capt Ado Sanusi, Chief Wale Babalakin, Sir Joseph Arumemi, Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu, Capt Dele Ore, Capt Wale Makinde, Capt Ibrahim Mshella, Capt Dapo Olumide, Ms Bimbo Sosina, Capt Benoni Briggs, Mrs Deola Olukunle, Dr Thomas Ogunbangbe, Capt Edward Boyo, Dr Gbenga Olowo, Elder Dr Soji Amusan, Engr Awogbemi Clement, Sen Musa Adede, Georg Eder Mba, Capt Prex Porbeni, Capt Chinyere Kali, Harold Demure, Akin Olateru, Capt Felix Iheanacho, Capt Peter Adenihun, among others.