This startling revelation came from Professor Obiorah Okonkwo, executive chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, who has now become one of the strongest voices demanding a reform of Nigeria’s aviation tax regime.

The moment came during the inauguration of commercial operations at the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Airport, a ceremony meant to celebrate new possibilities for farmers, traders, and travellers. But Okonkwo used the platform to spotlight what he described as “one of the biggest obstacles to affordable air travel” in the country.

Standing before state officials, aviation regulators, and industry players, he peeled back the curtain on what truly inflates the price of a plane ticket.

“We are taxed about 18 taxes on one single ticket,” he said, his voice firm. “Seventy percent of the ticket you buy goes to government agencies.”

For the ordinary traveller struggling to book a flight for a family trip, a business meeting, or a medical appointment, the numbers are jarring. They mean that even before an airline fuels its aircraft or pays its crew, a large portion of ticket revenue has vanished into a maze of statutory charges.

Okonkwo believes the solution lies squarely in the hands of lawmakers.

“With the help of the National Assembly… if government reduces these taxes, ticket prices will automatically drop. Air travel will become affordable to all.”

He offered one piece of practical advice to travellers: “Buy your ticket early. It’s the easiest way to get lower rates.”

But even he acknowledged that early booking can only go so far when systemic issues persist.

Lawmakers Step in as Airfares Climb

The Senate appears to be paying attention. Alarmed by skyrocketing domestic fares, lawmakers have summoned Festus Keyamo, the minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, along with key industry stakeholders, for an emergency dialogue.

The urgency stems from concerns raised by Senator Abdulfatai Buhari (Oyo North), who warned that rising fares could paralyse mobility across the country, especially as the festive travel season approaches.

When approached by journalists, Keyamo pointed to another layer of the aviation crisis: aircraft scarcity and limited maintenance infrastructure. Fewer aircraft, he explained, inevitably push fares higher.

A Regional Shift: ECOWAS Prepares to Scrap Ticket Taxes

Even beyond Nigeria, reform is gaining momentum. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced that it will prohibit ticket taxes across all airports in the subregion starting January 2026.

The goal is simple: make air travel cheaper and accelerate regional economic integration.

ECOWAS officials argue that government-imposed taxes, not fuel, not airlines, are the biggest drivers of the expensive tickets West Africans are forced to pay.

A System at a Breaking Point

The picture that emerges is one of an aviation industry squeezed between:

• massive taxation,
• shortage of aircraft,
• high operational costs, and
• infrastructure gaps.

For passengers, the result is painfully familiar: fares that keep climbing out of reach.

But Okonkwo’s message at the Ekiti airport launch carried a hopeful undertone. If government acts, if the tax load is cut, Nigeria could witness a dramatic drop in flight prices.

Until then, Nigerians will continue to shoulder the weight of 18 different taxes on every ticket they buy, paying for much more than the journey itself.

[Source: TheCable]

The inaugural flight, NUA 0590, Techeconomy gathered, took off this morning, marking a major milestone in the airline’s commitment to uniting people, cultures, and economies across the region.

According to the airline, the new service underscores its mission of “Flying to Unite,” by offering travelers a more seamless, safe, and comfortable link between Nigeria and Ghana, whether for business or leisure.

“This new route reflects our vision to make every journey smoother, safer, and more meaningful,” the airline said in a n email to its customers. “We are proud to be part of efforts promoting regional integration and enhancing travel experiences within Africa.”

Passengers can now book their seats to Accra through United Nigeria Airlines’ official platforms and enjoy the renowned comfort, care, and hospitality that define the carrier’s service.

It would be recalled that the NCAA had suspended all wet lease aircraft on the UNA fleet after one of the aircraft landed passengers at the Asaba international airport, on Sunday, rather than their destination, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.

But in a press statement made available to Techeconomy by the management of the airline, they apologised for the inconveniences the suspension might have caused their passengers.

According to the statement, the airline is working round the clock to clear the backlog of flights scheduled in the last few days caused by the suspension of the aircraft.

“We are pleased to announce the lifting of the suspension placed on our ‘Part G’ operations specifications which affected one of our aircraft. We want to express our deepest gratitude to you for keeping faith with us and for your understanding during this period.

“Safety is at the core of United Nigeria Airlines’ values and we take our commitment to passenger safety very seriously. We are aware that every time our schedule is disrupted, it is usually a very painful experience for you and for us as well because we know and understand that it affects travel plans and diminishes your trust in the reliability of our operations.

A wet lease is a leasing arrangement whereby one airline (the lessor) provides an aircraft, complete crew, maintenance, and insurance (ACMI) to another airline or other type of business acting as a broker of air travel (the lessee), which pays by hours operated.

The suspension is said to be connected with the diversion of the United Nigeria Airlines Abuja bound flight from Lagos to Asaba Airport on Sunday by the cabin crew of the airline.

United Nigeria Airlines Aircraft Skids off Runway at Lagos Airport

A source close to the agency, said on Monday that the regulatory body took the decisive action on after an emergency meeting held at its headquarters in Abuja.

It was learnt that at the meeting, the NCAA inspectors were not convinced about the claim of the airline that its crew diverted to Asaba following the bad weather situation at Abuja Airport.

It was learnt that all the wet-leased aircraft in its fleet would remain suspended until after the conclusion of the investigation into the incident.

The NCAA’s decision has been communicated to the airline via a letter on Monday.

(Source: BusinessDay)

The plane had arrived from Ebonyi Airport in Abakaliki with approximately 50 passengers on board.

According to Achilleus-Chud Uchegbu, the Head of Corporate Communications for the airline, the aircraft landed safely but was unable to complete its move to the apron off the runway.

Fortunately, all passengers disembarked safely and were transported, along with their luggage, to the arrival hall.

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, UNA engineers, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) were notified and present at the scene.

The airline assured the public that it maintains strict safety standards and will continue to prioritize passenger safety.

The IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) is the benchmark for global safety management in airlines. All IATA members are registered and must remain registered in order to maintain IATA membership

United Nigeria Airlines is a domestic Nigerian airline, operating regular daily flights to connect Lagos and Abuja, the two largest cities in Nigeria.

The certification will allow the airline to expand its local and regional operations, according to a statement issued on Friday by the airline’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Mazi Okonkwo.

“We are extremely excited that we have formally achieved our target set on the first day of operation by the best global standards.

“I must say that the audit process, which was thorough and tasking, has been a worthwhile exercise as it provided us invaluable opportunities to improve our processes and procedures.

“Our profound gratitude goes to the great team United Nigeria that worked diligently and tirelessly to prepare and follow through the audit processes,” Okonkwo said.

He reassured the airline’s passengers of improvements in safety and other services.