Adedokun Waliyu 
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced plans to resume flight operations to Nigeria, with services to Lagos expected to begin between March 24 and 27, 2027.
The announcement was made during a meeting between the airline’s delegation and Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, in Abuja.
The Etihad delegation was led by Senior Vice-President for Aeropolitical, International and Government Affairs, Khalid Humaid Al Ali, alongside other top executives of the airline.
Speaking during the meeting, Al Ali said the airline was eager to return to the Nigerian market and officially informed the minister of its readiness to resume operations.
He disclosed that Etihad Airways has concluded a codeshare agreement with Air Peace as part of its Nigeria expansion strategy and will operate daily Lagos flights using its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
Minister Festus Keyamo welcomed the airline’s decision, describing its return as another positive outcome of the Federal Government’s efforts to reposition Nigeria’s aviation sector and attract more international airlines.
While acknowledging ongoing renovation works at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, the minister urged Etihad Airways to also consider launching flights to Abuja.
According to Keyamo, Abuja has enormous passenger traffic potential, particularly from northern Nigeria, where many travellers journey to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia for business, tourism and religious pilgrimages.
To support the airline’s return, the Minister directed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to make the necessary arrangements for Etihad’s operations in Lagos.
FAAN Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, assured the delegation that space would be provided for the airline at the airport’s temporary terminal while infrastructure upgrades are being completed.
Keyamo also ordered the establishment of a joint working committee involving officials of the Ministry of Aviation, aviation agencies and Etihad Airways to fast-track regulatory approvals, operational planning and other preparations.
The committee is expected to begin virtual meetings next week ahead of the airline’s planned resumption.
Etihad Airways first launched flights to Nigeria in July 2012 but later suspended operations following diplomatic disagreements between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates over visa restrictions and flight allocations.
Relations between the two countries improved after 2023, paving the way for the airline’s planned return to the Nigerian market in 2027.
