Director General Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Captain Chris Najomo, captured the decades-long operational and aeropolitical imbalance that shaped Nigeria’s struggle on the competitive London route. He said the reality was clear and painful. Foreign carriers controlled the market, while Nigerian airlines looked on with limited support, weak capacity and almost no visibility. He noted that “international aeropolitics has never been neutral. It is shaped by power, by strategy and by national pride.” According to him, this imbalance created a narrative where Nigeria contributed passengers but lacked influence.
Najomo represented by Regional Manager, South‑West (Lagos) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)Oluwabukola Teriba explained that the London route has always been a global battleground. He said only nations with strong strategy, firm regulatory backing and clear national alignment could thrive. He stressed that Nigeria did not enjoy such alignment for many years, which left domestic carriers exposed. He noted that foreign airlines made strong gains because their governments protected their strategic interests. Meanwhile, Nigeria did not confront the imbalance that weakened its carriers and reduced national pride.
Speaking during the inaugural lecture titled International Aeropolitics: The Survival of Nigerian Carriers on the London Route, Najomo said the discussion was more than theory. He described the subject as a reflection of national identity, ambition and Nigeria’s position in global aviation. According to him, the London route symbolises how countries defend their aviation space. It also reveals how imbalance between nations shapes the strength of their airlines. He said Nigeria must now correct this structural disadvantage.
He explained that the historical imbalance was no accident. Foreign carriers operated with strong home support, structured financing and stable long-haul capacity. Nigerian airlines, however, faced limited access to capital, inconsistent government backing and heavy infrastructure challenges. Najomo recalled that foreign carriers earned billions annually from Nigerian passengers, while domestic operators struggled to secure meaningful long-haul visibility. He said this imbalance reduced national confidence and confined Nigerian carriers to regional markets.
Nigeria Confronts the Imbalance
However, Najomo emphasised that the story is now changing. He highlighted the entry of Air Peace into the London market as a symbolic and strategic breakthrough. He said the airline’s performance demonstrates that Nigerian carriers can excel when given fair opportunity. He described its consistency as evidence of national capability, and as a direct challenge to the old imbalance that long defined the route. He stressed that Nigeria’s aviation narrative is now shifting from struggle to assertion.
Najomo said the NCAA intends to sustain this progress by strengthening regulatory oversight. He noted that Nigeria’s strong ICAO safety and security ratings reflect credible performance and help Nigerian carriers during international negotiations. He explained that global confidence improves when regulators maintain fairness, justice and alignment with international standards. He said this regulatory strength gives Nigeria leverage during aeropolitical engagements, especially on routes where imbalance once weakened national operators.
He called for unity across government, airport authorities, diplomats and industry players. Meaningful progress requires collective action and a shared understanding of national interests. Najomo said Nigerian airlines need firm national backing, similar to what foreign carriers receive from their own governments. He urged stakeholders to insist on reciprocity in bilateral agreements and to defend Nigerian interests with strategic discipline.
He added that Nigeria has the talent, the market size and the ambition to compete globally. He said the task ahead requires consistency, policy clarity and strong national belief. According to him, no international route is beyond Nigerian capacity when unity and purpose remain firm. He noted that correcting the imbalance is not only possible but necessary for national aviation growth.
Najomo praised SAPTCO Communications Ltd for organising the lecture and creating a platform to address issues affecting national aviation. He said Nigeria must now act as an assertive participant in international aeropolitics, not as a spectator. He concluded that the long-standing imbalance on the London route can be removed if the country works together and supports its airlines with determination.
