Ethiopian Airlines is strengthening its hold on Nigeria’s international travel market by expanding direct flights into regional urban centers while domestic carriers continue to struggle with major infrastructure, transit and policy constraints.
The East African carrier recently expanded its operational flight schedule in Nigeria. The updated frequency includes 21 weekly flights out of Lagos providing up to three daily services alongside 11 weekly flights from Kano and four new weekly flights from Port Harcourt. These routes build on the airline’s established direct connections out of Abuja and Enugu linking passengers directly from regional hubs to its international transit hub in Addis Ababa.
Industry experts note that Ethiopian Airlines is offering passengers a global route network rather than simple point-to-point travel. Direct flights from commercial regions like Port Harcourt allow travelers, particularly in oil, gas and engineering sectors to fly abroad without first traveling through busy domestic hubs in Lagos or Abuja.
While Addis Ababa serves as the primary gateway connecting Nigerian travelers to global destinations, aviation analysts point out that this pattern creates an untapped opportunity for domestic airlines to act as regional feeder services. Nigerian carriers could potentially transport passengers from nearby cities like Calabar, Owerri, Benin or Uyo into regional international gateways.
Despite the potential for local partnerships, domestic airline operators state that severe physical infrastructure gaps prevent Nigerian airports from functioning as effective transit hubs.
Adedayo Olawuyi, Chief Commercial Officer of United Nigeria Airlines noted that major gateways lack dedicated international transit facilities. Arriving passengers are required to pass through immigration controls and re-check their baggage before boarding connecting flights.
Additionally, domestic terminals like GAT or MM2 in Lagos are physically separated from international terminals, forcing passengers to arrange independent ground transport between flights.
Aviation stakeholders also point to long-standing policy decisions, such as granting foreign carriers multiple landing rights across several domestic airports as a factor limiting local airline growth.
George Uriesi, Managing Director of Ibom Air, stressed that granting widespread access to foreign airlines reduces the market share available for local carriers to distribute passengers domestically. Aviation safety expert John Ojikutu added that the absence of designated national flag carriers, combined with broader airport management issues continues to hinder the long-term competitiveness of Nigeria’s domestic aviation sector.
