United Nigeria Airlines and Air Peace recorded flight delay rates of more than 70 per cent in August 2026, according to the latest domestic flight disruption data released by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The NCAA’s Summary of Domestic Airline Flight Disruption Operations for August 2026 showed that 4,765 of the 7,961 domestic flights operated by 15 airlines during the month were delayed, representing about 60 per cent of all flights. A total of 36 flights were also cancelled.
Key Highlights
- United Nigeria Airlines recorded a 77 per cent flight delay rate in August.
- Air Peace recorded a 71 per cent delay rate, the highest among the busiest carriers.
- 4,765 of 7,961 domestic flights were delayed during the month.
- 642 flights were delayed for two hours or more.
- At least 235 flights were delayed for three hours or more.
- Umza Air recorded the lowest delay rate at about 13 per cent.
United Nigeria Records Highest Delay Rate
United Nigeria Airlines recorded the highest flight delay rate among the airlines covered by the NCAA report.
The airline had 943 of its 1,231 flights delayed, representing approximately 77 per cent of its operations in August.
Of the delayed flights, 116 were delayed between two and three hours, while 41 were delayed for three hours or more.
United Nigeria also recorded eight cancellations, the highest number among the airlines covered by the NCAA data.
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Air Peace Records 71% Flight Delay Rate
Air Peace, the busiest airline in the dataset by number of flights operated, recorded 1,330 delays out of 1,864 flights, representing approximately 71 per cent.
The airline also recorded the highest number of severe delays during the month.
According to the NCAA data, 108 Air Peace flights were delayed for three hours or more, more than twice the figure recorded by any other carrier.
Another 156 Air Peace flights were delayed between two and three hours, while seven flights were cancelled.
NCAA Records 4,765 Flight Delays
Across the domestic aviation industry, the NCAA categorised flight delays into four periods: 16 minutes to one hour, one to two hours, two to three hours, and three hours or more.
The largest number of delays, 2,801 flights, fell within the 16-minute-to-one-hour category.
However, 642 flights were delayed for at least two hours, including 235 flights delayed for three hours or more.
The figures highlight the scale of disruption experienced by domestic air travellers during the month.
Other Nigerian Airlines Record Significant Delays
Several other airlines also recorded substantial delay rates in August.
Enugu Air had 582 delays out of 878 flights, representing about 66 per cent. The airline recorded 46 flights delayed for three hours or more.
Arik Air recorded 188 delays out of 301 flights, representing approximately 62 per cent, while Max Air recorded 204 delays out of 336 flights, or about 61 per cent.
Xe Jet recorded 40 delays out of 127 flights, representing approximately 31 per cent, while Binani recorded 22 delays out of 57 flights, or about 39 per cent.
NG Eagle recorded no flight operations during the period covered by the NCAA report.
Umza Air Records Lowest Delay Rate
At the other end of the scale, Umza Air recorded the lowest delay rate among the airlines covered by the report.
The airline recorded 52 delays out of 403 flights, representing approximately 13 per cent.
None of the airline’s delays exceeded one hour, while Umza Air recorded no cancellations during the month. Further details are available on the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority website.
The wide variation in the figures shows significant differences in the reliability of domestic air services among Nigerian carriers.
While the majority of delays were relatively short, the NCAA data shows that hundreds of domestic flights experienced disruptions lasting two hours or more, raising renewed concerns about flight reliability and passenger experience in Nigeria’s aviation sector. For more updates, follow us on X.
