Etihad Airways and Ibom Air have entered an interline agreement that will connect five Nigerian cities to Etihad’s international network through single-ticket bookings when the UAE carrier begins flights to Lagos and Accra in March 2027.

The arrangement will enable passengers travelling through Lagos or Accra to continue to Abuja, Uyo, Port Harcourt, Calabar and Enugu on Ibom Air under one booking. Baggage will also be checked through to passengers’ final destinations.

The partnership will additionally provide connections between Accra and Abuja as well as Accra and Uyo, extending Ibom Air’s domestic network to travellers arriving on Etihad from Abu Dhabi and other destinations served by the airline.

Etihad is expected to launch its daily Abu Dhabi-Lagos service on March 23, 2027, followed by four weekly flights between Abu Dhabi and Accra from March 24. Tickets combining the two airlines’ networks are scheduled to become available from November 3, 2026.

Etihad Airways Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer, Arik De, said the agreement forms part of the airline’s long-term plans for Africa and will enable passengers to travel beyond Lagos into other Nigerian cities. Ibom Air Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, George Uriesi, said the partnership would strengthen the airline’s regional role while making its destinations more accessible to international travellers.

The agreement brings Abuja, Uyo, Port Harcourt, Calabar and Enugu into Etihad’s single-ticket connectivity through Lagos and Accra, giving passengers a broader range of options for travelling between Nigeria and the airline’s international network.