Air Peace, Etihad Sign Deal to Connect 20 West and Central African Cities
Nigeria’s leading carrier Air Peace and UAE-based Etihad Airways have signed a strategic agreement to expand air connectivity across West and Central Africa, opening up access to 20 regional destinations.
The partnership, structured as an interline agreement, will allow passengers to travel seamlessly across both airlines’ networks using a single ticket and coordinated baggage transfers.
Under the arrangement, Etihad passengers flying into major hubs such as Lagos and Accra will be able to connect directly onto Air Peace’s regional routes, significantly improving access to cities across West and Central Africa.
For Air Peace customers, the agreement provides expanded global reach via Etihad’s international network, linking Africa to destinations across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North America.
The deal is seen as a major step toward addressing long-standing gaps in intra-African air travel, where limited direct routes and high costs have historically constrained movement and trade.
Air Peace, founded in 2014 and now the largest airline in West Africa, has been expanding aggressively within the region, adding routes to key cities such as Accra, Abidjan, Dakar, and Monrovia.
Etihad, on its part, has also been scaling up its African footprint, with plans to introduce new routes and increase frequencies across the continent as part of a broader expansion strategy.
The agreement follows a growing trend of partnerships between African and Gulf carriers, aimed at improving connectivity and competing more effectively in the global aviation market. Similar deals—such as Air Peace’s earlier collaboration with Emirates—have already demonstrated strong demand for integrated travel options.
Aviation analysts say the partnership could:
Enhance trade and tourism across West and Central Africa
Reduce travel time by eliminating complex multi-leg bookings
Strengthen Africa’s integration into the global air transport network
If successfully implemented, the Air Peace–Etihad alliance could mark a significant shift in regional aviation, positioning West Africa as a more connected and accessible market for international travel.
