Allen Onyema’s 2026 Playbook for an African Hub

From February 2, 2026, Air Peace will shift all its regional African flights from night operations to daytime services, according to reports. The adjustment sounds simple. In practice, it redraws how Lagos connects to Africa and how Nigeria’s largest carrier wants to compete.

The facts are straightforward: Air Peace, founded in 2013 and chaired by Allen Onyema, plans to run its regional network entirely in daylight hours. The airline says the aim is fewer delays, easier connections, and more predictable travel across West and Central Africa.

The timing aligns with expansion. Before the end of the first quarter of 2026, Air Peace plans to add routes to Douala, Libreville, Kinshasa, Conakry, Bamako and Johannesburg. The focus is Africa-to-Africa travel, routed through Lagos as a central hub.

Daytime flights allow tighter scheduling. Domestic arrivals can feed regional departures; regional flights can return in time for night-long-haul services. For Air Peace, this supports existing routes to London and the recently launched Lagos to São Paulo service.

Scale gives the plan weight. Air Peace operates about 37 aircraft, including Boeing 737s, Boeing 777s, Airbus A320S and Embraer jets. Eight more aircraft are on order, pushing the fleet toward 40 and reinforcing its position as West Africa’s largest carrier.

Infrastructure is part of the story. Construction began in September on a maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in Lagos. The airline estimates up to 50,000 jobs over time. If delivered, it reduces dependence on foreign maintenance and keeps costs closer to home.

There are policy shifts, too. From January 1, 2026, Air Peace plans stricter rules against unruly passenger behaviour, including possible legal action. Onyema has also warned that taxes and operating costs could push economy fares toward N1 million without relief.

Beyond aviation math sits Onyema’s long-running argument. Africa travels too often through Europe to reach itself. By tightening schedules and widening routes, Air Peace wants Lagos to behave like a continental junction, not a terminal.