Etihad, Ibom Air unveil single-ticket access to five Nigerian cities

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, and Nigerian carrier Ibom Air have signed an interline agreement to connect travellers from Etihad’s network to five Nigerian cities on a single ticket.

This was disclosed in a recent joint statement by both parties, which said the agreement would allow passengers arriving in Lagos or Accra on Etihad Airways to continue their journeys on Ibom Air to Abuja, Uyo, Port Harcourt, Calabar and Enugu from March 2027. It will also provide connections between Accra and Abuja, as well as Accra and Uyo.

Under the arrangement, a single booking will cover the entire journey, while passengers’ baggage will be checked through to their final destinations. The partnership therefore brings Uyo and Calabar into Etihad’s Nigerian connectivity network, alongside Abuja, Port Harcourt and Enugu.

The expanded connectivity comes ahead of Etihad’s planned launch of nonstop services to the region, with daily flights between Abu Dhabi and Lagos scheduled to begin on March 23, 2027, and four weekly flights to Accra from March 24.

Arik De, Etihad Airways’ Chief Revenue andppp Commercial Officer, said the airline’s ambitions in Africa were long-term, adding that Nigeria was central to its expansion plans.

“Our ambitions in Africa are long-term, and Nigeria sits at the centre of them. Ibom Air has built a strong domestic network from its base in Uyo, and partnerships with airlines that know their own markets are how we grow 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.

Similarly, George Uriesi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ibom Air, described the agreement as a significant milestone for the airline, saying it would enable international travellers to access cities served by Ibom Air through a single booking while enhancing connectivity and convenience.

With the agreement now in place, tickets combining the two airlines’ networks will become available from November 3, 2026, allowing travellers to book journeys connecting Etihad’s international network with Ibom Air’s domestic routes.