ANALYSIS: Inside the growing bird strike crisis affecting Nigeria’s aviation sector

Bird strikes are becoming increasingly disruptive to flight operations in Nigeria’s aviation sector, with one recent incident involving an Embraer 190 operated by United Nigeria Airlines as Flight UN0561.

The aircraft, which departed Benin for Abuja at about 4:20 p.m. on 16 April, struck birds shortly after takeoff, damaging part of its nose landing gear. It was withdrawn from service shortly after.

That incident, though handled without injury, marked the third bird strike involving the airline within 48 hours.

A day earlier, on 15 April, the airline’s Airbus A320 operating Flight UN0515 from Port Harcourt to Abuja suffered a similar encounter while landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, with damage to its nose section. On 14 April, a CRJ-900 aircraft, Flight UN0579 from Kano, was also struck on approach into Abuja.

Within two days, three aircraft were grounded.

For United Nigeria Airlines, the April incidents pushed its recorded bird strike cases to seven since January 2026 — a figure that is drawing attention not merely because of its size, but because of the speed and pattern of the incidents.

Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television on 16 April, the airline’s chairman, Obiora Okonkwo, described the strain the situation is placing on operations.

“Do you believe that as we speak, I have two aircraft grounded because of bird strike? One was yesterday, the other one was the day before yesterday. In 24 hours, two bird strikes,” he said.

He added that the challenge extends beyond one operator.

“And from January to this month, I’ve had six. And so other operators.”

Mr Okonkwo further noted that the issue is not peculiar to United Nigeria Airlines, pointing to Air Peace’s experience.

“Last year, from January to December 2025, Air Peace had a total of 52 bird strikes. And when that happens, you ground the aircraft, it disrupts your schedule. And then it costs you maintenance money. And at the end of the day, we still pay what is due to all the agents that are responsible for that.”

For airlines, each incident comes with immediate consequences. Aircraft must be withdrawn for inspection, schedules are disrupted, and passengers are delayed or rescheduled. The airline itself has indicated that only incidents resulting in grounded aircraft are publicly reported, suggesting that less severe encounters may be more frequent than available data shows.

A Pattern Beyond One Airline

The experience of United Nigeria Airlines reflects a broader pattern across the sector.

On 22 January, an Air Peace flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt suffered a bird strike on arrival, forcing safety checks and the deployment of a replacement aircraft. Nearly a month later, on 21 February, the airline recorded two separate incidents involving flights from Lagos to Asaba and Lagos to Kano, both requiring aircraft withdrawal after landing.

While these incidents ended without injuries, they underline a recurring operational challenge affecting multiple carriers.

Industry figures suggest the scale of the problem may be higher than publicly reported. In a December 2025 interview on ARISE News, Air Peace Chairman Allen Onyema disclosed that the airline recorded 49 bird strike incidents between January and September alone, describing them as a major operational burden capable of grounding aircraft for weeks.

The issue is not entirely new.

In May 2021, a Max Air flight from Kano to Abuja was forced to return shortly after takeoff after birds struck its engine, damaging multiple blades and causing mid-air vibrations. The aircraft landed safely, but the incident illustrated the potential severity of such encounters.

What appears to be changing is not the existence of bird strikes, but their frequency and concentration within short periods, raising questions about underlying conditions.

Bird strikes are not unique to Nigeria. Globally, they remain one of the most persistent operational hazards in aviation.

One of the most well-known cases occurred in the United States in 2009, when US Airways Flight 1549 struck a flock of geese shortly after takeoff from New York’s LaGuardia Airport. Both engines lost thrust, forcing Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger to land the aircraft on the Hudson River in what became known as the “Miracle on the Hudson.” All 155 people on board survived, but the incident highlighted how dangerous bird strikes can become under certain conditions.

Similarly, in the United Kingdom, a British Airways flight was forced into an emergency diversion after a suspected bird strike caused smoke to enter the cabin mid-flight. The aircraft landed safely, but the event triggered renewed attention to wildlife hazards around major airports.

These incidents underline a global reality: while most bird strikes do not result in crashes, they can still cause engine failure, emergency landings, and major operational disruptions, particularly during takeoff and landing phases when aircraft are most vulnerable.

Environmental Pressures and the Limits of Prevention Systems

Regulators have also had to contend with the consequences of such incidents. In December 2025, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority intervened after a bird strike involving a United Nigeria Airlines flight in Abuja left over 100 passengers stranded, highlighting how quickly technical disruptions can escalate into passenger welfare issues.

Experts say the persistence of bird strikes is closely linked to environmental conditions around airports.

Most incidents occur during takeoff and landing when aircraft operate at low altitudes where birds are most active. Airports located near open waste dumps, wetlands, or agricultural areas tend to attract birds, increasing collision risks.

In Nigeria, rapid urban expansion around airport corridors, combined with waste management challenges, has intensified this risk. Although airport authorities deploy bird control measures such as patrol teams and dispersal systems, the recurrence of incidents suggests that these efforts may not be keeping pace with changing environmental realities.

An aviation analyst, Nura Ahmad, said the recent incidents should not be seen in isolation, noting that bird strikes remain a persistent challenge where airport environments are not effectively managed.

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“Bird strikes happen globally, but when you see several within a short period, it raises concerns about conditions around the airfields,” he said, pointing to waste disposal, nearby water bodies, and other environmental attractants.

He added that prevention remains critical, stressing the need for stronger wildlife hazard management by airport authorities.

“The focus should be on prevention, because while most bird strikes are not catastrophic, their impact on operations, delays, and passenger confidence can be significant.”

What is emerging from recent events is a shift in how bird strikes are perceived within Nigeria’s aviation sector. Once treated as isolated operational disruptions, they are increasingly being viewed as part of a broader systemic challenge linked to environmental management, infrastructure, and regulatory oversight.

As incidents continue across airlines and within short timeframes, attention is gradually shifting from how airlines respond to bird strikes to how effectively such risks are being prevented in the first place.