United Nigeria names aircraft after Rawlings, begins flight to Ghana

United Nigeria Airlines (UNA) has named one of its aircraft after the late President of Ghana Jerry John Rawlings ahead of its inaugural commercial flights from Lagos and Abuja to Accra, Ghana. The gesture, according to the airline, honours Rawlings’ legacy as a Pan-African leader and his lifelong commitment to regional integration and African unity. […]

United Nigeria Airlines (UNA) has named one of its aircraft after the late President of Ghana Jerry John Rawlings ahead of its inaugural commercial flights from Lagos and Abuja to Accra, Ghana.

The gesture, according to the airline, honours Rawlings’ legacy as a Pan-African leader and his lifelong commitment to regional integration and African unity.

Members of the Rawlings family are expected to attend the official unveiling ceremony in Accra on Monday as it launched its inaugural flight to Accra Ghana today (Monday).

UNA Chairman, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, who led a pre-departure inspection at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, said the new routes mark the airline’s transition from a domestic carrier to a West African regional operator.

He disclosed that UNA plans to expand its fleet by six additional aircraft in the coming months — a move aimed at deepening connectivity within ECOWAS, stimulating trade, tourism, and cultural exchange, and giving Nigerian travellers more homegrown alternatives to foreign carriers dominating regional routes.

 

Okonkwo, however, decried Nigeria’s heavy aviation tax regime, describing the country as “one of the most over-taxed aviation jurisdictions in Africa.”

 

“While Ghana’s passenger service charge at international terminals is $60, Nigeria’s is $100,” he said, adding, “On a Lagos–Accra return ticket, taxes alone can exceed $116 before other surcharges. These high costs discourage travel and increase fares that passengers regularly complain about.”

 

He revealed that more than 200,000 passengers travel the Lagos–Accra corridor annually and that UNA’s entry has already driven down prices.

 

“Before we announced Accra operations, only one airline operated Abuja–Accra directly. Just by our entry, fares dropped almost 50 percent. That’s the value of Nigerian participation,” he added.

 

The UNA chairman also emphasized Nigeria’s high aviation safety standards, noting that local pilots undergo recertification every six months, compared to the 12-month cycle in Europe and the United States.

 

Okonkwo urged the government to ease tax pressures and introduce single-window aviation financing to support industry growth.

 

“There is no trillion-dollar economy without flight connectivity. Aviation is the enabler — if people cannot move, commerce cannot expand,” he said.

 

Since commencing operations in 2021, United Nigeria Airlines has positioned itself as a champion of African unity and regional aviation leadership — a vision now reflected in its decision to honour Jerry Rawlings with its first Ghana-bound aircraft.