Etihad Airways is returning to Nigeria after a multi-year break, with plans to start daily flights to Lagos in March 2027.
The UAE’s national carrier made the announcement on Thursday during a meeting with Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo in Abuja. A senior delegation from Etihad, led by Khalid Humaid Al Ali, Senior Vice President for Aeropolitical and Government Affairs, briefed the minister on the airline’s plans.
Al Ali said the airline is ready to re-enter the Nigerian market and confirmed that operations to Lagos are scheduled between March 24 and 27, 2027. He added that Etihad has signed a codeshare agreement with Air Peace and will use Boeing 787 Dreamliners for the route.
The Etihad team also included senior executives for network strategy, aeropolitical affairs, and diplomatic relations. On the Nigerian side, officials from the NCAA, FAAN, NAMA, and the aviation ministry were present.
Keyamo welcomed the move, calling it a sign of renewed investor confidence in Nigeria’s aviation sector. He also pushed Etihad to consider Abuja, arguing that passengers from northern Nigeria currently have to travel to Lagos to connect to UAE and Saudi Arabia flights for Umrah and other trips.
“Lagos is saturated, but we want to make all the space and everything available for you in Abuja,” the minister said. “If you start Abuja, you will be amazed by the passenger traffic.”
FAAN Managing Director Olubunmi Kuku told the delegation that space would be provided at the temporary terminal at Murtala Muhammed International Airport while renovation work continues.
To speed things up, Keyamo directed the creation of a joint working committee with the ministry, aviation agencies, and Etihad. The group will meet virtually next week to work on regulatory approvals and operational plans.
Etihad first started flying to Nigeria in July 2012. Operations were suspended amid a diplomatic dispute between the UAE and Nigeria that began in 2021 over visa restrictions and flight allocations. Ties improved in 2023 under the current administration.
The UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, had earlier indicated that Etihad would also begin flights to Abuja later this year.
