Air Peace, Etihad Airways Partner to Strengthen Nigeria-UAE Air Connectivity
Air Peace and Etihad Airways have signed an interline agreement that is set to transform travel between Nigeria, West and Central Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), allowing passengers to enjoy seamless connections across the combined networks of both airlines.
The agreement, which links Nigeria’s largest airline with the UAE’s national carrier, will provide Etihad Airways’ passengers with access to 20 destinations across Nigeria, West and Central Africa through Air Peace’s domestic and regional network, while enabling Air Peace customers to connect to Abu Dhabi on Etihad’s planned flights from Lagos and Accra.
The partnership is expected to boost trade, tourism and business travel between Africa and the Middle East, while reinforcing the strategic importance of Nigeria as a gateway to the West African sub-region.
With the new arrangement, passengers travelling on Etihad Airways will be able to purchase a single ticket that includes onward connections from Lagos and Accra to several destinations operated by Air Peace, eliminating the need for separate bookings.
The destinations include Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Enugu, Benin City, Owerri, Warri and Asaba, giving international travellers greater access to Nigeria’s commercial and economic centres.
Beyond Nigeria, the agreement also extends connectivity to several cities across West and Central Africa, including Abidjan, Dakar, Banjul, Freetown, Monrovia, Conakry, Bamako, Douala and Libreville.
For Air Peace customers, the partnership opens the door to Etihad Airways’ expanding international network. Once the airline launches its planned services between Abu Dhabi and both Lagos and Accra, passengers travelling on Air Peace will be able to connect seamlessly through the UAE capital to destinations across Europe, Asia, North America, Australia, the Middle East and other regions served by Etihad.
The agreement comes against the backdrop of strengthening diplomatic and commercial relations between Nigeria and the UAE. Since the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in January 2026, economic cooperation between both countries has continued to grow, while the Nigerian community in the Emirates has also expanded significantly.
The partnership is also in line with Etihad Airways’ wider strategy to deepen its presence across Africa. Earlier this year, the airline announced plans to expand its African operations, with Lagos identified as one of the key destinations in its network growth strategy.
Commenting on the development, Etihad Airways’ Chief Commercial and Revenue Officer, Arik De, said the airline regarded Nigeria as one of the most important markets in Africa and a critical part of its long-term expansion plans on the continent.
He noted that the interline partnership would allow Etihad passengers to benefit from one of Africa’s most extensive domestic and regional route networks, while creating new opportunities for Air Peace customers to travel through Abu Dhabi to destinations across the airline’s global network.
According to him, Etihad’s expansion strategy is built on partnerships with strong local airlines that possess a deep understanding of their respective markets, adding that Air Peace perfectly fits that objective.
Also speaking, Air Peace Chief Commercial Officer, Nowel Ngala, said the agreement reflected the airline’s commitment to making travel more accessible for Nigerians and other West African travellers.
He explained that the collaboration would give Air Peace customers easier access to Abu Dhabi and beyond once Etihad commences flights on the route, while offering Etihad passengers convenient connections to numerous cities across Nigeria and neighbouring countries through Air Peace.
Ngala said the airline remained committed to opening new opportunities for travel, commerce and cultural exchange across Africa and beyond, expressing optimism that the partnership would deliver significant benefits to passengers on both networks.
He added that both airlines were eager to begin welcoming travellers under the new arrangement as soon as the agreement becomes operational.
According to the airlines, customers will be able to book combined itineraries through the official websites of both Air Peace and Etihad Airways once the interline agreement takes effect, making it easier to plan multi-city journeys on a single ticket.
Industry analysts believe the partnership represents another important milestone in Air Peace’s international growth strategy, coming after the airline’s expansion into long-haul operations and the signing of similar commercial partnerships with global carriers.
They also say the agreement underscores the increasing importance of strategic airline collaborations in expanding route networks, improving passenger convenience and supporting economic integration without the need for immediate fleet expansion.
The partnership is expected to further strengthen Nigeria’s position as a regional aviation hub, enhance connectivity across West and Central Africa, and deepen aviation links between Africa and the Gulf region as demand for international travel continues to rise.
