Etihad widens African footprint with Air Peace agreement

An interline agreement between Air Peace and Etihad Airways will boost connectivity across Africa as the UAE’s national carrier focuses on its expansion and potential on the continent.

The interline agreement, signed in Lagos, Nigeria, on 23 July, will enable Etihad passengers to book flights to more than 20 destinations across West and Central Africa on a single ticket.  Similarly, it will provide Air Peace customers with access to Etihad’s expansive global network via Etihad’s Abu Dhabi hub.

“Our ambitions in Africa are long-term, and Nigeria sits at the centre of them,” said Arik De, Chief Commercial and Revenue Officer, Etihad Airways. He underlined that the agreement gives the airline access to one of the continent’s most extensive domestic and regional networks.

Air Peace offers extensive connectivity across West and Central Africa

Passengers booking flights through Etihad will now be able to travel on a single ticket beyond Lagos in Nigeria and Accra in Ghana (both served by Etihad) onto Air Peace’s West and Central African network. Across its domestic network Air Peace is Nigeria’s largest airline by capacity with around 74,800 weekly departure seats.

The airline currently serves cities including Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Enugu, Benin City, Owerri, Warri and Asaba. It also has an expansive regional network across West and Central Africa including destinations such as Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire, Dakar in Senegal, Banjul in The Gambia, Freetown in Sierra Leone, Monrovia in Liberia, Conakry in Guinea, Bamako in Mali, Douala in Cameroon and Libreville in Gabon. It also serves London Heathrow and Gatwick in the UK, as well as Bridgetown in Barbados.

The agreement paves the way for Etihad’s continued African expansion

The partnership supports Etihad’s African expansion, which Abu Dhabi’s national carrier announced in April, including a daily link between Abu Dhabi and Lagos. The collaboration

 “Partnerships like this are how we grow: with strong airlines that know their markets better than anyone,” said De.

Etihad announced in April that it is adding six new destinations across five countries, including Asmara, Eritrea; Accra, Ghana; and Kinshasa, DR Congo. The airline’s CEO has framed Africa as a natural next step in the airline’s network expansion, targeting markets with strong underlying demand driven by trade, investment and population growth.

Why Nigeria is key to Etihad’s network

One of Africa’s most populous countries, Nigeria boasts one of the continent’s largest economies. The West African country is Africa’s largest oil producer, with crude oil exports historically accounting for a large majority of government revenue and foreign exchange earnings. Traditionally, agriculture – inlcuding cocoa, rubber, palm oil, cassava and yam farming, has also contributed a significant chunk of GDP. But today, the country’s tech and fintech sectors are growing rapidly, while trade and commerce also make up a large share of economic activity.

Etihad’s interline agreement with Air Peace follows a similar deal with fellow Gulf carrier, Emirates, which currently flies a non-stop daily service between Lagos and Dubai. Emirates also operates an interline agreement with Air Peace.

Etihad’s deal with the Nigerian carrier complements the UAE-Nigeria trade pact – the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) – signed in January 2026, which has accelerated business opportunities between the two countries.

“Air Peace has always been about opening doors for Nigerian and West African travellers,” said Nowel Ngala Chief Commercial Officer at Air Peace. Working with Etihad Airways extends that ambition, he noted. “It will give our customers convenient access to Abu Dhabi on Etihad’s services once the new routes begin, while bringing Etihad’s guests to many destinations we serve across the region.”

The partnership with Air Peace complements Etihad’s existing joint venture with Ethiopian Airlines, which was established in March 2025.