Chairman of Air Peace Limited, Dr. Allen Onyema has credited Fidelity Bankwith playing a pivotal role in the airline’s establishment more than a decade ago, saying its support was instrumental when other financial institutions avoided investing in aviation.
Speaking over the weekend, Onyema recalled how former Fidelity Bank Managing Director, Dr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, approved financing that enabled Air Peace to acquire its first aircraft.
“Without the boldness of Fidelity Bank at a time when no Nigerian bank wanted to touch aviation, there might not have been an Air Peace today,” Onyema said. The success of this airline belongs to those who stood with us in our early days when the odds were stacked against us.”
Onyema stressed that aviation is among the most capital-intensive industries globally, pointing out that even established carriers like British Airways and Delta Airlines rely heavily on institutional financing.
His remarks highlight the importance of strategic financial partnerships in sustaining and expanding Nigeria’s aviation sector, where access to funding remains a critical challenge.
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