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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
United Nigeria Airlines (UNA) has announced the official commencement of direct commercial flights on the Lagos–Accra and Abuja–Accra routes with the unveiling of an aircraft named after late Ghanaian President, Jerry John Rawlings, in recognition of his Pan-African ideals and influence on regional integration.
Leading a mock departure and arrival exercise at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the airline’s Chairman, Prof Obiora Okonkwo, said that the new routes signal UNA’s transition from a domestic operator into a stronger West African player.
Speaking during the ceremony, Okonkwo confirmed that members of the Rawlings family will attend the formal unveiling ceremony in Accra.
He further disclosed that UNA is expanding its fleet by six aircraft over the next few months, adding that the move will deepen aviation access within ECOWAS, boost people-to-people exchange, support trade flows and provide Nigerian travellers homegrown options instead of relying almost exclusively on foreign carriers that currently dominate regional routes.
The Anambra state governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), however expressed concern over Nigeria’s heavy aviation tax structure, describing the country as “one of the most over-taxed aviation jurisdictions in Africa”.
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“While Ghana’s passenger service charge at international terminals is $60, Nigeria’s stands at $100. On a Lagos–Accra return ticket, taxes alone can exceed $116 before other surcharges, creating high fares that passengers regularly complain about,” he lamented.
Okonkwo estimated that more than 200,000 passengers fly the Lagos–Accra corridor yearly. He noted that even before UNA’s maiden flight, market response was already visible.
“Before we announced Accra operations, only one airline was doing Abuja–Accra direct. Just by our entry, fares dropped almost 50 percent. That is the value of Nigerian participation,” he said.
Okonkwo also stressed that Nigerian aviation safety standards meet some of the highest benchmarks globally, with pilots recertifying every six months — compared to the 12-month cycle in Europe and the United States.
Urging government to reduce tax pressures and provide single-window aviation financing to accelerate growth, he said: “There is no trillion-dollar economy without flight connectivity. Aviation is the enabler, if people cannot move, commerce cannot expand.”
Okonkwo named an aircraft after Rawlings aligning with the airline’s commitment to African unity and regional aviation leadership.
