In a move set to reshape air travel across West and Central Africa, Air Peace and Emirates Airlines announced Monday the activation of a bilateral interline agreement that will allow passengers to seamlessly travel between Nigerian cities and global destinations, including Dubai, London, and beyond, on a single ticket.
The partnership between West Africa’s largest carrier and the world’s biggest international airline represents a major expansion of connectivity for the region, offering travelers the convenience of coordinated schedules, through-checked baggage, and simplified booking procedures across both carriers’ networks.
Under the new arrangement, Emirates passengers flying into Lagos can now connect to 13 Nigerian cities already served by Air Peace, while also gaining access to four additional West African capitals: Banjul in Gambia and Dakar in Senegal—both routed through Abidjan—as well as Freetown in Sierra Leone and Monrovia in Liberia, accessible via Accra.
Reciprocally, Air Peace customers gain seamless access to Emirates’ Dubai hub and its extensive global network, including three major London airports—Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted—along with numerous other international destinations across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
The interline ticketing system eliminates a longstanding pain point for African travelers: the need to collect and recheck luggage when transferring between airlines. Passengers booking through the partnership will have their baggage automatically transferred to their final destination on eligible routes, streamlining what has traditionally been a cumbersome process for multi-airline itineraries.
“This agreement represents more than just operational coordination—it’s about opening up Africa to the world and bringing the world to Africa,” said Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer. He emphasized that the partnership would provide tangible benefits to Nigeria’s aviation sector while boosting tourism and trade throughout the region.
Nowel Ngala, Air Peace’s Chief Commercial Officer, framed the deal as aligned with the airline’s broader mission. “We’re committed to improving Africa’s access to global markets,” Ngala stated. “By linking our regional network with Emirates’ international routes, we’re enabling passengers to reach more destinations efficiently under a single itinerary.”
Bookings under the new interline agreement can be made through emirates.com, flyairpeace.com, or through accredited travel agents worldwide, offering flexibility in how passengers plan and purchase their multi-city journeys.
The timing of this interline partnership carries particular significance, coming just over a year after Emirates resumed Nigerian operations following a contentious two-year suspension. The Dubai-based carrier had halted flights to Nigeria in October 2022, citing the inability to repatriate trapped revenues amid severe foreign exchange shortages that plagued Africa’s largest economy.
Despite assurances from Nigeria’s Central Bank, Emirates remained grounded until high-level diplomatic intervention facilitated a resolution. President Bola Tinubu’s October 2023 state visit to the United Arab Emirates proved pivotal, with discussions addressing both the trapped funds issue and UAE visa restrictions that had been imposed on Nigerian travelers.
The diplomatic breakthrough paved the way for Emirates’ return on October 1, 2024, when Flight EK783 touched down at Lagos’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport, marking the airline’s first commercial operation to Nigeria in two years.
Aviation analysts view the interline agreement as a vote of confidence in Nigeria’s improved economic management and a recognition of Air Peace’s growing stature as a regional powerhouse. For West and Central Africa, the partnership addresses a chronic infrastructure gap—limited direct international connectivity—that has long hampered business travel and tourism development.
The deal also represents a strategic pivot for both carriers. Emirates gains deeper penetration into underserved African markets without deploying additional aircraft, while Air Peace secures a prestigious international partner that enhances its brand and expands its effective reach far beyond its own fleet capabilities.
For the millions of Nigerians living abroad and the growing number of international business travelers to the region, the practical benefits are immediate: fewer connections, less hassle, and expanded destination options—all critical factors in an increasingly competitive global aviation market.
As both airlines begin promoting the new interline routes, the success of this partnership may well set a template for similar collaborations across Africa, where regional carriers are increasingly seeking alliances with global giants to overcome the continent’s connectivity challenges.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Air Peace and Emirates have launched a game-changing interline partnership that allows West African travelers to book single-ticket journeys with through-checked baggage from 17 cities across Nigeria and neighboring countries to Dubai, London, and beyond.
This marks a breakthrough for regional connectivity—particularly significant as it comes just 15 months after Emirates returned to Nigeria following a two-year suspension over trapped funds.
African passengers can now travel more seamlessly to global destinations, while the partnership signals restored confidence in Nigeria’s aviation sector and sets a potential model for future airline collaborations across the continent.
