Ibom Air: Do Not Throw Away The Baby With The Bath Water

By Reno Omokri

Please fact-check me: In 2024, Ibom Air generated ?96 billion in revenue, which is almost equal to the ?101 billion that the five Southeastern states collectively contributed to the Nigerian treasury via VAT. That is not a small achievement.

The tax paid by Ibom Air is responsible for some of the roads you are driving on today. So think about it before you do the typically sub-Saharan African thing and start to condemn what you should commend because of your opinion about one incident that was fluid when it became viral.

Ibom Air is the most successful state-owned airline in Nigeria. In a country where we do not even have our own national carrier, we ought to be careful about de-marketing an airline that has an even better record of on-time, punctual departures and arrivals than private airlines.

In January of 2025, Ibom Air had a 76% punctuality record for departures and arrivals. Let me not even mention the record of the favourite airline of one of the chief de-marketers of Ibom Air. It pales in comparison to that of Ibom Air. And it is a private, unpeaceful airline!

Out of 12 domestic airlines in Nigeria, just five are certified by the International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), and Ibom Air is one of them.

If it were that easy to establish and run an airline with its own hub airport (which no other airline in Nigeria has), why hasn’t your state done it? Why did Peter Obi not do it?

Peter Obi is one of those spearheading the de-marketing of Ibom Air, but the brewery he built in Anambra suffered heavy losses.

In any case, an unprofitable airline is much better for Nigeria than a profitable brewery.

Therefore, I call on Nigerians to begin with the end in mind and halt any form of negativity directed at Ibom Air. Let us help this airline grow because you and I know that Nigeria needs Ibom Air more than it needs Nigeria.

And if you are from Akwa-Ibom, speak up for Ibom Air. That is not tribalism. That is pride in your state. Your leaders are a rarity in Nigeria. They have invested your oil money in ventures that can outlast oil.

You have the best schools, roads, stadia, and state-run social services in Nigeria. Soon, you will also have your own state port, the Ibom Deep Sea Port. Do not join people whose myopic leader only built breweries for them to drink and get drunk, to destroy the heritage left for you by your visionary leaders.

I am not from Akwa-Ibom, but I am proud, and even slightly envious of that state.

Reno Omokri