Nigerian domestic airlines recorded 4,765 delayed flights in August 2026, meaning nearly six in every 10 scheduled operations were affected by delays during the month, according to data from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The carriers operated a combined 7,961 domestic flights, with Air Peace recording the largest number of disruptions. Of the airline’s 1,864 flights during the period, 1,330 were delayed. United Nigeria Airlines followed with 943 delays from 1,231 flights.
The figures underline the scale of disruption facing domestic air travellers, with delays ranging from relatively short waits to disruptions lasting three hours or more. Enugu Air recorded 582 delayed flights from 878 operations, while ValueJet had 435 delays from 767 flights.
Brandspur Brand News reports that Ibom Air recorded 254 delays out of 560 flights, while Aero had 246 delayed flights from 469 operations. Rano Air recorded 216 delays from 503 flights, Max Air had 204 from 336 operations, and Arik Air recorded 188 delays from 301 flights.
Overland Airways reported 139 delays from 239 flights, while Green Africa recorded 114 from 226 operations. Umza Air had 52 delayed flights despite operating 403 services, Xe Jet recorded 40 delays from 127 flights, and Binani had 22 delays from 57 operations. NGEAGLE recorded no flight operations during the month.
The NCAA data also showed how long passengers were kept waiting. Of the 4,765 delayed flights, 2,801 experienced delays of between 16 minutes and one hour, accounting for the largest share of disruptions.
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Another 1,322 flights were delayed for between one and two hours, while 407 experienced delays lasting between two and three hours. For passengers on 235 flights, the disruption extended to three hours or longer.
Cancellations added to the difficulties faced by travellers during the month. Domestic airlines cancelled 36 flights, with United Nigeria recording the highest number at eight. Air Peace followed with seven cancellations, while Enugu Air cancelled four flights.
The regulator has since increased pressure on airlines over persistent operational disruptions. On September 10, NCAA Director-General Chris Najomo warned carriers about recurring delays, inadequate crew availability and other consumer-related infractions.
Najomo urged airlines to ensure their published schedules reflect the aircraft and crew actually available to operate them, while questioning whether existing scheduling buffers were sufficient given the frequency of delays and cancellations.
The NCAA acknowledged that not every disruption is within an airline’s control, identifying weather conditions, flight diversions and airport restrictions among factors capable of affecting schedules. It nevertheless stressed the importance of contingency planning and timely communication with passengers.
The August figures highlight the continuing reliability challenge in Nigeria’s domestic aviation market, where passengers frequently depend on scheduled flights for business, family commitments and onward travel. With almost 60 per cent of flights delayed during the month, the regulator’s latest warning puts renewed attention on how airlines plan operations and manage passengers when schedules break down.
