United Nigeria Airlines has officially joined the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), a move expected to strengthen the airline’s regional presence and advance AFRAA’s broader expansion across the continent.
Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Enugu, United Nigeria Airlines operates a mixed fleet of Boeing 737-800NG, Airbus A320, Embraer ERJ145, E190 and MHIRJ (formerly Bombardier) CRJ900 aircraft. It serves 14 domestic destinations—including Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, Benin, Owerri, Warri and Yenagoa—with four additional domestic routes planned before year-end.
Regionally, the airline already operates flights to Accra, Ghana, and has announced new services across West and Central Africa, with Monrovia, Banjul, Dakar, Abidjan and Conakry among the planned destinations. It has also secured Nigerian government designation to operate long-haul routes to Canada, Italy, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the UK and the U.S.
The carrier recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Guinea-Bissau to establish a national carrier. It has also achieved IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification and announced plans to establish its own maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility.
“Our vision has always been to unite Nigerians and connect them more closely to the rest of the continent,” Executive Chairman Obiora Okonkwo said, adding that membership “would provide greater opportunities for collaboration and support the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market.”
AFRAA Secretary General Abderahmane Berthé noted that Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation and one of its most dynamic aviation markets, and that United Nigeria Airlines will now have access to AFRAA’s full range of advocacy, commercial intelligence, capacity-building and networking resources.
As a member, United Nigeria Airlines joins a network of over 40 member airlines across the continent. The airline membership collectively represents more than 85% of total international traffic carried by African airlines.
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