The Government of Barbados, with backing from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) formally marked Air Peace’s entry into the Caribbean with a high-level forum and media launch at the Indigo Hotel on May 24, 2026, coinciding with the airline’s first commercial flight from Lagos.
The convening assembled senior officials, diplomatic envoys, tourism executives, airline representatives, and media, underscoring institutional backing for direct Africa-Caribbean air links. Attendees included Barbados Minister of Tourism and International Transport Hon. Ian Gooding-Edghill; Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office for Youth and Culture Hon. Shane Archer; Ambassador to CARICOM David Commissiong; Barbados High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ghana and Liberia H.E. Juliet Sutherland-Bynoe; Panama Ambassador-Designate Xiomara Pérez; Venezuela Chargé d’Affaires Martha Ortega Peraza; Afreximbank Acting Chief Operating Officer (COO) Okechukwu Ihejirika; consultant Shelly Williams; Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. Chairman Peter Harris; BTMI CEO Andrea Franklin; and Queen Elizabeth Hospital CEO Neil Clark, alongside airline delegates and press.
The event highlighted the operationalization of Air Peace’s twice-monthly Lagos-Barbados service, scheduled for the last two Mondays of each month, as a structural step toward reducing transit friction between the two regions. Stakeholders framed the route as a catalyst for commercial, tourism, and cultural exchange, eliminating multi-stop itineraries that have historically constrained passenger and cargo flows.
Addressing the forum, Gooding-Edghill characterized the launch as “a landmark occasion for Barbados, for the Caribbean and for deepening relations between the region and the African continent.” He described the new city pair as “the most tangible expression yet” of the strategic relationship both regions have sought to strengthen over time, adding that direct connectivity from Lagos to Barbados would further position Barbados as a gateway into the Caribbean: “When Air Peace flies into Barbados, it does so carrying the weight of a relationship that both regions have been working toward,” the Minister stated.
Gooding-Edghill affirmed active government involvement in route sustainability, stating, “We have no intention of being passive beneficiaries of your investment. We will work through our trade and investment bodies, tourism agencies, private sector and diplomatic channels to stimulate demand and ensure favorable conditions exist for this route to succeed”, he affirmed, expressing optimism that the operation would extend beyond its inaugural year and serve as a model for cooperation between Caribbean states and African carriers.
Afreximbank Acting COO Okechukwu Ihejirika reiterated the bank’s commitment to initiatives advancing trade, investment, and connectivity between Africa and the Caribbean, including Air Peace’s Lagos-Barbados operations. He emphasized that sustainable air transport links are critical to deeper regional integration and economic cooperation.
Air Peace Chief Commercial Officer Nowel Ngala characterized the launch as the realization of ongoing efforts to unite Africa and the Caribbean through direct air travel.
In his own words, “Today marks the end of the long road to making this airlift connection possible, and the beginning of a new journey that has now been created,” Ngala said. “It symbolizes stronger ties between Africa and the Caribbean and opens new opportunities for tourism, trade and the traveling public.”
He acknowledged support from the Government of Barbados, Afreximbank, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., and diplomatic missions, and cited the role of Barr. Allen Onyema, the airline’s Chairman, in expanding African connectivity beyond the continent. Ngala equally reaffirmed the carrier’s commitment to facilitating seamless travel, economic exchange, and people-to-people relations through sustained operations.
The forum concluded with mutual pledges from Barbadian and African stakeholders to deepen collaboration and identify additional opportunities in tourism, trade, culture, and aviation.
