The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has ordered Air Peace to prepare a compensation package for passengers affected by a delayed Lagos-Enugu flight. According to the NCAA's preliminary investigation, the airline sent passengers an incorrect notification about the disruption. The flight, scheduled to depart Lagos at 6:45 a.m., was rescheduled to 4:50 p.m., leaving passengers at the Murtala Muhammed Airport for several hours.
The incident followed a complaint by human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, who said the delay caused him to miss a scheduled court appearance in Enugu State. Effiong arrived at Terminal One of the Murtala Muhammed Airport at about 5:50 a.m. after checking in the previous night for the 6:45 a.m. flight. He was scheduled to appear in court in Enugu that morning for a case fixed for definite hearing.
NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said the disruption was linked to the ripple effects of disruptions from the previous night. However, he said Air Peace should have informed passengers booked on the Monday morning flight that it had been rescheduled. Achimugu acknowledged the inconvenience caused to the affected passengers and promised to investigate the matter.
Effiong questioned why the airline sent another reminder to passengers at about 2:01 a.m. asking them to report for the flight despite the disruption. He said the delay meant he would miss his court appearance and incur additional transportation and other expenses. The airline's station and duty managers confirmed that the message sent to passengers was sent in error.
The NCAA's investigation showed that a senior management official of Air Peace initially claimed that passengers had been informed of the change. However, after Effiong shared a screenshot of the message he received, the airline’s officials acknowledged that passengers should have been informed that the flight had been rescheduled. Air Peace told the NCAA that the affected passengers had been taken to a hotel and would receive care until boarding time.
The NCAA has directed Air Peace to submit a compensation package for the affected passengers in line with Part 19 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023. The regulations provide for refreshments and communication assistance after two hours, as well as reimbursement or rerouting where a delay extends beyond three hours. The rules further provide for hotel accommodation and transportation when a delay extends from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. or when an airport is closed.
The incident comes amid renewed concerns over flight disruptions in Nigeria. The NCAA’s August 2026 report showed that 15 domestic airlines operated 7,961 flights during the month, of which 4,765 were delayed and 36 cancelled. Air Peace was listed with 1,330 delayed flights out of 1,864 flights recorded in the NCAA’s dataset, representing 71.4 per cent.
Key points
- Air Peace must provide compensation to passengers affected by the delayed Lagos-Enugu flight.
- The NCAA's investigation found that Air Peace sent passengers an incorrect notification about the disruption.
- The incident highlights concerns over flight disruptions in Nigeria, with 4,765 delayed flights and 36 cancelled flights in August 2026.
