Controversy has trailed operations at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, amid growing public perception that Ibom Air, the home-based carrier in Akwa Ibom State, has become so dominant at the airport that other airlines are either unwilling or unable to compete effectively on the route.
The airport, formerly known as Akwa Ibom Airport, was commissioned in 2009, after being developed by the state government under the administration of then Governor Victor Attah.
It was conceived as a major transportation infrastructure project to improve connectivity to the state and position Uyo as an important aviation gateway in the South-South region.
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Barely two decades after its commissioning, the airport is at the centre of a debate over competition, access and the role of a state-owned airline operating from a state-owned airport.
At present, Ibom Air is the only airline operating scheduled passenger services to and from Uyo. Its network includes Uyo-Lagos, Uyo-Abuja and regional Uyo-Accra services.
The situation has inevitably fuelled perceptions of a monopoly, particularly among passengers who now have limited choices when travelling by air between Uyo and other destinations.
Available operational information indicates that Air Peace previously operated the Uyo-Lagos route, with its last scheduled service listed as May 15, 2026. Dana Air also previously operated the route before its operations ceased, while Arik Air and Aero Contractors served Uyo at different periods.
The disappearance of these carriers from the route has therefore, raised questions about what has changed in the Uyo market and why Ibom Air has emerged as the dominant, and currently sole, scheduled operator.
Commenting on the controversy, Head, Research and Corporate Travel at Zenith Travels & Consult, Mr Olumide Ohunayo, said the allegation that Ibom Air was preventing other airlines from operating into Uyo was difficult to establish.
Ohunayo, who is also the General Secretary of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), said Nigerian airlines were generally free to operate to airports across the country once they met the necessary regulatory, safety and operational requirements.
“I find that difficult to believe. These are local airlines and in Nigeria’s airspace, all airlines are free to go to any airport once you file your routine and do the appropriate safety and operational specifications in line with the regulator,” he said.
He, however, distinguished between an airline deliberately blocking competition and a situation in which a dominant operator’s frequency, capacity or pricing makes it difficult for competitors to establish a commercially viable operation.
“If they say that there is competition by virtue of the frequency of Ibom Air operating into Uyo and that it stifles their own flight, then that is another kettle of fish entirely,” he said.
According to Ohunayo, competing airlines must also develop strategies capable of challenging an established home-based operator.
“I think what they can do is to start with regional aircraft and, as they build their passengers, they begin to increase their aircraft size and frequency. Ibom Air is dominant and that is their base. You will not begrudge them,” he said.
Ohunayo also distinguished the Uyo situation from the current experience of Enugu Air in Enugu.
He noted that before Enugu Air commenced operations, Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines were already dominant operators in the Enugu market, meaning that the new carrier entered an established competitive environment.
“Uyo never had a dominant carrier right from day one that airline was established. Other airlines were operating into the airport, alternatively with Calabar. By the time Ibom came and took control, they became the dominant carrier there,” he said.
However, he stressed that no airline has the legal authority to own an airport or determine which competing airlines can access it.
“There is no law stating that an airline can own an airport and disallow other airlines from coming in,” he said.
The aviation expert said the critical issue would be whether the airport management itself had ever denied another airline access to the facility.
“If they say that the airport management is not giving them landing permit or asking them that they don’t have space for them, then we can understand, perhaps the airport is trying to protect the airline.
“So, let us get this point. Is it the Uyo Airport Management? If that is the case, the airlines have the power to report formally to the regulator, who would definitely take it up and ensure that competition and fairness are maintained in the industry.
“Because without multiple options, you will not have good services and better fares,” he said.
Corroborating Ohunayo, a US-based Nigerian pilot, Capt. John Onwochei, also rejected the suggestion that an airline could prevent another carrier from operating into its hub.
“I think there is a missing link in the narrative. No airline has the right to stop other airlines from operating. It is a function of competition and every airline has to step up to compete effectively,” he said.
The dominance of Ibom Air on the Uyo-Lagos route was confirmed by an airline ticketing officer at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal One (MMA1), popularly known as the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), Mr Peter Ubaka.
According to Ubaka, as of Monday, August 31, 2026, Ibom Air was the only carrier operating scheduled Lagos-Uyo-Lagos services, with two daily flights departing Lagos at approximately 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Ibom Air has, however, categorically rejected the perception that it exercises a monopoly over Victor Attah International Airport or possesses the authority to prevent other airlines from operating there.
In a statement issued Monday and made available to Nigerian Tribune, the airline said it neither had the authority nor the regulatory mandate to prevent another carrier from operating from Uyo or any other airport in Nigeria.
According to the airline, responsibility for authorising, regulating, suspending or otherwise permitting airline operations rests with the appropriate aviation regulatory authorities.
Ibom Air specifically cited Section 8(3) of the Civil Aviation Act 2022, which it said places the regulation of civil aviation in Nigeria under the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The carrier argued that once an airline satisfies applicable regulatory and operational requirements and obtains the necessary approvals, Ibom Air has no authority to prevent it from operating into Uyo.
The airline also stressed the need to distinguish between its own commercial or operational decisions and any attempt to prevent another carrier from accessing an airport.
It explained that it had, at different times, temporarily suspended operations to destinations including Enugu and Calabar to undertake mandatory aircraft maintenance and address other operational requirements.
Such decisions, it maintained, were internal operational matters and should not be interpreted as attempts to create or sustain a monopoly.
Ibom Air further argued that the number and frequency of airlines operating through an airport could be influenced by several factors unrelated to monopoly.
These, it said, include aircraft availability, fuel logistics, airport infrastructure, scheduling considerations and regulatory requirements.
Insisting that it supports greater competition at Victor Attah International Airport, Ibom Air maintained that the presence or absence of competing airlines at Uyo should be examined within the broader commercial and regulatory environment governing Nigerian airline operations.
According to the airline, the entry of additional carriers would provide passengers with more travel options, greater choice of schedules and fares, improved connectivity for Akwa Ibom and the wider South-South region, increased passenger traffic and a stronger aviation ecosystem.
It added that increased competition could contribute to the development of Uyo as an aviation and economic destination.
“As the home-based carrier, Ibom Air is proud to operate from Uyo,” the airline stated, while stressing that its status as the home-based carrier does not confer ownership or control of Victor Attah International Airport on it.
Meanwhile, enquiries made to the NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr Michael Achimugu, to ascertain whether any qualified airlines had sought approval to operate into Uyo recently, and, if so, whether any had been denied access, were unanswered as of press time.
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