Air Peace Flight Suspensions Expose Fragile Ties Between Weather Services and Aviation Safety

QNH Data Disruption Brings Nationwide Air Travel to a Standstill

Nigerian skies went quiet on April 23 and 24, 2025, when Air Peace, the country’s largest carrier, suspended every flight it operates. The culprit? A strike by workers at the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) that cut off the flow of QNH weather reports. These critical data sets allow pilots to land aircraft safely, especially during fast-changing or hazardous weather conditions. Without QNH (which stands for 'Query for Notam Height'), it’s like flying blind at the most crucial moment—no airline willing to risk that.

Passengers across Nigeria woke up to canceled plans, missed obligations, and mounting frustration, despite Air Peace communicating the situation through every available channel. For the airline, it was a clear-cut case: no flight safety, no flights. Safety trumped everything else, even revenue and reputation. “We can’t land without those reports. We simply can’t play with passenger safety,” an Air Peace pilot explained to those stranded at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

Ministerial Mediation and a Quick Turnaround

While travelers scrambled for alternatives and social media filled with complaints, behind the scenes, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, kicked off a round of crisis talks with NiMET unions, Air Peace management, and aviation regulators. His approach was open and direct. Within 48 hours—an unusually fast turnaround for labor disputes in Nigeria—Keyamo brokered a truce that ended the strike.

With NiMET resuming operations on April 25, QNH reports and other meteorological information flowed back into the system by dawn. Air Peace wasted no time, restoring the full schedule and releasing thank-yous and apologies. “The Minister’s leadership brought us all back from the brink,” one airline executive said. For the sector’s insiders, it was a masterclass in crisis management.

But outside boardrooms and government offices, the episode drew back the curtain on how deeply Nigeria’s aviation industry relies on the continuous work of NiMET and its hundreds of skilled meteorologists. It also put the spotlight on the vulnerabilities in the country’s air travel system: one missing link, and everything grinds to a halt. It wasn’t just Air Peace affected. The entire infrastructure—from ground handling crews to food vendors and hotels near airports—felt the ripple effects.

As operations got back to normal, the short but dramatic episode left both industry players and travelers more aware of the invisible hands—like NiMET meteorologists—keeping air travel safe in Nigeria. The quick resumption was a relief, but the message lingers: for modern aviation, there’s no progress or profit without secure, reliable weather services.