Ibom Air, owned by Akwa Ibom State, has teamed up with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE. This new deal will connect five Nigerian cities to Etihad’s international flights.
Passengers flying with Etihad can now travel from Lagos or Accra to Abuja, Uyo, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Enugu on one ticket.
This news was shared in a statement on Ibom Air’s official Facebook page on Monday.
With this agreement, passengers arriving in Lagos or Accra on Etihad flights can easily switch to Ibom Air flights to these five Nigerian cities.
The deal will also allow connections from Accra to Abuja and Accra to Uyo.
Passengers will have their entire journey managed under one booking, which means their luggage will go straight to their final stop.
This partnership is set to begin when Etihad launches its direct flights to Lagos and Accra in March 2027.
Etihad announced that its daily flights from Abu Dhabi to Lagos will start on 23 March 2027. Its four-weekly service from Abu Dhabi to Accra will kick off on 24 March 2027.
Arik De, who is the chief revenue and commercial officer for Etihad Airways, said this partnership is part of the airline’s long-term goals in Africa.
“Our ambitions in Africa are long-term, and Nigeria sits at the center of them,” Mr De said.
He noted that Ibom Air has built a strong domestic network from Uyo. He added that working with local airlines is key for Etihad’s growth in Africa.
“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.
‘Major Step Forward’
George Uriesi, managing director and CEO of Ibom Air, called the agreement a major step forward for the airline.
Mr Uriesi said this partnership would help international passengers reach cities served by Ibom Air with just one 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 mentioned that the airline looks forward to welcoming Etihad passengers and providing great service.
The deal gives special importance to Uyo and Calabar, which are two of the five Nigerian cities accessible through the Etihad-Ibom Air partnership.
Ibom Air is fully owned by the Akwa Ibom State Government. It runs domestic flights connecting several Nigerian cities and also to Accra, Ghana.
This partnership follows the recent arrival of Ibom Air’s third Airbus A220-300 aircraft, which boosts its fleet and its ability to operate regionally.
Ibom Air currently has seven Bombardier CRJ 900 aircraft and three Airbus A220-300 aircraft, according to the airline.
This new interline agreement comes as Ibom Air keeps expanding its fleet and strengthening its role as a regional airline.
Tickets that combine Etihad and Ibom Air services will be available starting 3 November 2026. This is just before Etihad’s flights to Lagos and Accra begin in March 2027.
This partnership allows passengers traveling from Etihad’s wide international network through Abu Dhabi to reach more destinations in Nigeria without needing separate tickets for connecting flights.
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