Ibom Air, Etihad sign deal to connect five Nigerian cities to global network

Ibom Air, the Akwa Ibom State-owned airline, has signed an interline agreement with Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, to connect five Nigerian cities to Etihad’s international network.

The agreement will allow passengers travelling with Etihad to continue their journeys from Lagos or Accra to Abuja, Uyo, Port Harcourt, Calabar and Enugu on a single ticket.

The development was announced in a statement posted on Ibom Air’s official Facebook page on Monday.

Under the agreement, passengers arriving in Lagos or Accra on Etihad flights can connect to Ibom Air flights to the five Nigerian destinations.

The arrangement will also provide connections between Accra and Abuja, as well as Accra and Uyo.

The airlines said passengers will have their entire journey covered under one booking, with baggage checked through to their final destinations.

The partnership is expected to take effect from the launch of Etihad’s direct services to Lagos and Accra in March 2027.

Etihad said its daily service between Abu Dhabi and Lagos will begin on 23 March 2027, while its four-weekly service between Abu Dhabi and Accra will commence on 24 March 2027.

Arik De, Etihad Airways’ chief revenue and commercial officer, said the partnership was part of the airline’s long-term ambition in Africa.

“Our ambitions in Africa are long-term, and Nigeria sits at the centre of them,” Mr De said.

He said Ibom Air had established a strong domestic network from its base in Uyo, adding that partnerships with airlines with strong knowledge of their local markets were important to Etihad’s expansion on the continent.

“Having this in place before our Accra and Lagos flights begin next March means we arrive in the region already connected to the cities beyond them,” he said.

‘Significant milestone’

George Uriesi, managing director and chief executive officer of Ibom Air, described the agreement as a significant milestone in the airline’s development.

Mr Uriesi said the partnership would enable international passengers to access cities served by Ibom Air through a single booking.

“Additionally, it positions Ibom Air as the key domestic and regional connection for Etihad Airways’ operations into Nigeria and Ghana from next year,” he said.

He said the airline looked forward to welcoming Etihad passengers and providing them with its services.

The agreement gives particular significance to Uyo and Calabar, which are among the five Nigerian cities that will be accessible through the Etihad-Ibom Air arrangement.

Ibom Air is wholly owned by the Akwa Ibom State Government and operates a domestic network linking several Nigerian cities, as well as Accra, Ghana.

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The partnership comes about a month after Ibom Air received its third Airbus A220-300 aircraft, expanding its fleet and strengthening its capacity for regional operations.

Ibom Air currently operates seven Bombardier CRJ 900 aircraft and three Airbus A220-300 aircraft, the airline says.

The new interline arrangement comes as Ibom Air continues to expand its fleet and strengthen its position as a regional carrier.

Tickets combining Etihad and Ibom Air services are expected to become available from 3 November 2026, ahead of the commencement of Etihad’s Lagos and Accra services in March 2027.

The partnership will enable passengers travelling from Etihad’s extensive international network through Abu Dhabi to reach more Nigerian destinations without purchasing separate tickets for their connecting journeys.