Etihad Airways and Ibom Air have signed an interline agreement that will enable travellers arriving in Nigeria and Ghana on Etihad to connect to five Nigerian cities on a single ticket when the UAE carrier begins its Accra and Lagos services in March 2027.
The agreement will allow Etihad passengers arriving in Lagos or Accra to continue their journeys on Ibom Air to Abuja, Uyo, Port Harcourt, Calabar and Enugu, with connections also available between Accra and Abuja, as well as Accra and Uyo. Passengers will have their baggage checked through to their final destinations.
Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer, Etihad Airways, said the partnership reflects the airline’s long-term ambitions in Africa and its strategy of working with carriers with strong knowledge of their domestic markets.
“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,” De said.
He added that having the interline arrangement in place before Etihad’s Accra and Lagos services begin would enable the airline to connect travellers to cities beyond its initial destinations in the region.
George Uriesi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ibom Air, described the agreement as a significant milestone in the airline’s drive to become a world-class African regional carrier.
According to Uriesi, the arrangement will give international travellers access to Ibom Air’s destinations through a single booking while positioning the airline as a key domestic and regional connection for Etihad’s operations into Nigeria and Ghana.
He said the partnership would also provide Ibom Air with an opportunity to welcome Etihad passengers and showcase its service offering to international travellers.
Etihad is scheduled to commence daily flights between Abu Dhabi and Lagos from March 23, 2027, while its Abu Dhabi-Accra service will operate four times weekly from March 24, 2027.
The interline arrangement means travellers connecting through Lagos or Accra will be able to reach destinations including Uyo and Calabar in southern Nigeria, alongside Abuja, Port Harcourt and Enugu, for business, family visits and tourism.
Tickets combining the Etihad and Ibom Air networks are scheduled to go on sale from November 3, 2026.
Ibom Airlines Limited, owned by the Akwa Ibom State Government, currently operates a fleet comprising seven Bombardier CRJ 900s and two Airbus A220-300s, serving seven domestic destinations and Accra, Ghana.
