In October, Emirates will resume flights to Nigeria after nearly two years of suspension, during which the airline engaged in discussions with government authorities to repatriate withheld ticket sales revenue from the country.
The Dubai-based airline announced on Thursday that it will commence daily service to Lagos from October 1, using a Boeing 777-300ER, with tickets now available for booking.
Emirates’ deputy president and chief commercial officer, Adnan Kazim, expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government for their collaboration and assistance in reinstating this route.
Kazim highlighted the popularity of the Lagos-Dubai service among Nigerian customers and expressed hope to reconnect leisure and business travellers to Dubai and beyond, to its network of over 140 destinations.
According to aviation data provider Cirium, Ethiopian Airlines leads as the largest foreign carrier operating in Nigeria this month, followed by Qatar Airways and British Airways.
Emirates operated 438 flights to Nigeria in 2022 before suspending operations in October of that year, as reported by Cirium.
In March 2023, Emirates revealed that it was owed a “substantial” amount in ticket revenue by Nigerian authorities, with limited progress made in repatriating the blocked payments from Africa’s most populous nation. The airline did not disclose the withheld amount.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that as of January, airlines’ blocked payments in Africa and the Middle East amounted to $1.8B, contributing to cash shortages in the aviation industry and posing risks to air connectivity and investor confidence in these regions.
IATA emphasized the importance of resolving revenue repatriation issues, stating that airlines cannot sustain operations in markets where they face challenges repatriating revenue.
Nigeria ranked as the leading country globally for withholding airlines’ revenue, according to IATA data, with repatriation issues stemming from a shortage of foreign currency supply in March 2020.
With the resumption of flights to Nigeria, Emirates expands its African network to 19 routes, offering 157 weekly flights from Dubai. It also facilitates connections to 130 regional destinations in Africa through codeshare and interline agreements with airlines such as South African Airways, Airlink, Royal Air Maroc, and Tunis Air.
Emirates SkyCargo will provide over 300 tonnes of belly-hold cargo capacity weekly, supporting Nigerian businesses by transporting goods through Dubai to key markets like the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Bahrain. Notable commodities include Kola Nuts, food and beverages, and urgent courier material.
The Emirates Boeing 777-300ER serving Lagos will feature eight first-class suites, 42 business-class seats, and 304 economy seats.
