Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest airline, has instituted legal action against Latvia-based ACMI and charter services provider, SmartLynx, accusing the company of violating the terms of their aircraft lease agreement.
The development comes weeks after Air Peace publicly alleged that SmartLynx abruptly withdrew three wet-leased aircraft without prior notice, an action the Nigerian carrier said resulted in significant flight disruptions, including delays and cancellations across its network.
According to a statement from Air Peace management, the airline’s financial losses arising from the incident have now reached $38,042,843.84.
The airline alleged that SmartLynx obtained several advance payments under false pretenses.
The statement reads in part:
“During the lease period, SmartLynx deliberately misled Air Peace, collecting advance payments on the assurance that it would operate the agreed block hours.
“However, SmartLynx knew months before receiving these funds that it had no intention of fulfilling the prepaid block hours. Despite this knowledge, it continued to demand and receive payments fraudulently.”
It added that the situation prompted the airline to begin court proceedings, resulting in a court order issued against SmartLynx on November 12, 2025.
In a related development, SmartLynx Airlines announced on Monday that it has shut down operations.
The company stated that a review by its new management revealed that its financial condition and long-term viability were no longer sustainable.
