Air Peace commences Lagos to Togo Flight Operations

• Promises to launch Cotonou, Abidjan, Kinshasa, Malabo

Nigeria’s Air Peace commenced flight operations between Lagos and Lome, Togo’s capital on Friday, while promising to launch Cotonou, Abidjan, Kinasha and Malabo routes.

The airline’s safety manager, Capt. Godfrey Ogbogu, disclosed shortly after the Embraer 195 E2 touched down at the Gnassingbe Eyadema International Airport, Lome that the launch of Lome operations makes it ‘eight regional routes in less than nine years since inception.’

Ogbogu said that the ‘no-city-left-behind initiative’ of Air Peace is not just for domestic operations but for regional cities and beyond and that the launch into Lome has given credence to the ties between Nigeria and Togo and will foster commercial cooperation as well as deepen bilateral ties between both countries.

The airline’s safety manager, said “In March 2022, we launched Niamey in Niger Republic and we’re expanding further with the commencement of flights into Lome, Togo. It suffices to say we’re on a mission to easing air travel and bridging the connectivity gap among West African countries, and we’re quite delighted that Togo is joining our route network, making it eight regional routes in less than nine years since inception. Togo and Nigeria currently have strong socio-economic ties and both countries have collaborated on significant fronts.

“Nigerians come to Togo for business and other purposes and the launch of this connectivity adds fillip to this economic exchange between both countries and also advances development. We’re reputed for our no-city-left-behind initiative and this is not just for domestic operations. Our no-city-left-behind drive extends to the West Coast, as we’re poised to continually interconnect key cities in the sub-region, making it easy for Africans to maximise the payoffs of air travel for the collective development of all the nations.

“In keeping with this corporate ambition, we’re launching, very soon, flight operations into Cotonou in Benin Republic, Abidjan in Cote d’ivoire, Congo Kinshasa and Malabo in Equatorial Guinea. Before the end of 2023, some of these routes will have been launched, because they’re already in the works. Air Peace will continue to provide best-in-class flight services, driven by a customer-first orientation and hinged on strict adherence to established safety standards.

“We’re also modernising and increasing our fleet, especially with the brand new Embraer 195-E2 aircraft, to continue to give our customers a matchless experience on board- whether domestic, regional or international. We currently boast of twenty domestic routes, eight regional and five international destinations, including Israel, India and China. Also planned for launch in the future are Houston-USA and London. We’re constantly reviewing our route network in line with the travel needs of the flying public. We thank the Togolese authorities, our partners here, and the Nigerian Government for making this possible”.

Earlier, Nigeria’s ambassador to Togo, Adebowale Adesina, Togo’s minister of transportation, Atcha Affoh and other dignitaries, who witnessed the flight at the airport, revealed that the commencement operations is a result of concerted efforts by the governments of Nigeria and Togo as well as Air Peace to boost trade between both nations and to ensure ease of movement across West Africa.

“As we are aware, a very large number of Nigerians live, work or do business in Togo. A huge number of other nationals pass through Togo to do business across West Africa and the rest of Africa. This great country, especially its capital, Lome, the city of peace, therefore, is a great hub for business across the length and breadth of Africa.

“The success we celebrate today, is not only a dream come true for Air Peace, it is indeed the product of concerted efforts by the governments of Nigeria and Togo as well as Air Peace to boost trade between our nations and ensure ease of movement across West Africa. We have defied the odds to make it a point of duty to come and witness the maiden Air Peace flight to Lome.

“Aviation is an essential sector for our region’s development, particularly as we work towards a sustainable intra-African trade. We therefore celebrate with Air Peace Nigeria on this milestone and commend its commitment to providing smooth air transport services to Nigerians, to the Togolese, West Africans and, indeed, all Africans,” he emphasized.