Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, and Air Peace, Nigeria's largest carrier, have signed an interline agreement linking their networks, giving Etihad passengers access to 20 destinations across Nigeria, West and Central Africa on a single ticket.

Under the agreement, Etihad guests will be able to travel beyond the airline's existing gateways of Lagos and Accra to Air Peace's wider regional network. That network includes major Nigerian cities such as Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Enugu, Benin City, Owerri, Warri, and Asaba, as well as regional destinations including Abidjan, Dakar, Banjul, Freetown, Monrovia, Conakry, Bamako, Douala, and Libreville.

An Etihad Airways press release issued on Thursday stated this. 

The partnership supports Etihad's broader expansion in Africa, which includes previously announced plans for a daily service between Abu Dhabi and Lagos. Once those flights begin, passengers will be able to book journeys through Abu Dhabi and continue onward across Air Peace's network in Nigeria and West Africa.

"Our ambitions in Africa are long term, and Nigeria sits at the centre of them," said Arik De, Chief Commercial and Revenue Officer at Etihad Airways. "This agreement gives our guests access to one of the continent's most extensive domestic and regional networks. Partnerships like this are how we grow: with strong airlines that know their markets better than anyone."

Air Peace's Chief Commercial Officer, Nowel Ngala, said the deal builds on the airline's long-standing goal of improving connectivity for travellers in the region. "Air Peace has always been about opening doors for Nigerian and West African travellers," Ngala said. "Working with Etihad Airways extends that ambition, giving our customers convenient access to Abu Dhabi."

Once the agreement takes effect, the companies expect customers to be able to book combined journeys on both carriers through each airline's platform.

The deal comes as commercial ties between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates have strengthened following the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement signed by the two countries in January 2026. Nigeria is Africa's most populous nation and one of its largest economies and hosts a fast-growing Nigerian community in the Emirates.

Source: PR