Ethiopian Airlines on Tuesday launched its second daily flight from Addis Ababa to Lagos, Nigeria, latching on the recent approval given to it by the Nigerian government.
This is just as the federal government has reaffirmed its focus on developing Nigeria as the aviation hub in West Africa.
Described as a significant milestone in line with the airline’s commitment to serving Nigerians with more flexibility and affordable flight options, the flight operated by a Boeing 737 Max aircraft landed at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos with 114 passengers in Economy and one passenger in Business Class, while the departing flight carried 147 passengers in Economy and eight in Business Class.
Area Manager of Ethiopian Airlines in Nigeria, Firiehiwot Mekonnen, speaking at a brief ceremony to celebrate the milestone went down memory lane to share briefly what she tagged ‘our Common History’, noting first of all that the full load both in the inbound and outbound flights shows Nigerians’ love and support for Ethiopian Airlines.
She emphasised that Ethiopian Airlines has been serving Nigeria since independence in 1960, “which will mark our uninterrupted and committed operation to Nigeria 65 years in November 2025, and there will be a big celebration to mark this.
“We have always been here through thick and thin, through good and bad. Even when other airlines stayed away, we sacrificed to stand side by side with Nigeria, which happened, for example, when Abuja Airport was closed for repairs and it was only Ethiopian Airlines that flew to Kaduna Airport.
“Ethiopian Airlines is the first African airline to introduce the first B787 Dreamliner to Africa, the first to fly A350 in Africa and recently the first A350-1000 in Africa specifically to Nigeria as part of our commitment to always give Nigeria the best.
“With this second daily flight, we can connect all of our 66 African destinations within 12 hours of flight time. There will be no need for layovers as there are instant connections available to Asia, Middle East, India, and Africa and to the rest of 150 global destinations”.
While urging passengers to take advantage of this second frequency and the opportunity it offers to them, she reaffirmed that ET is willing and able to partner and support travel and tourism in Nigeria.
“We have also offered to support inbound and outbound tourism in Nigeria. In the coming months, ET will unfold its plan to support tourism in Nigeria with the recent success of Detty December, Carnival Calabar, Ojude Oba, and Durbar Festivals in Nigeria”, Mekonnen stated.
She appreciated the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development under the dynamic leadership of Barrister Festus Keyamo, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for giving ET the opportunity to serve Nigerians better.
Responding, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Dr. Ibrahim Kana, stressed that the Nigerian government has welcomed the expansion as he expressed confidence that Lagos will soon rival leading international gateways across the continent.
He also emphasised the government’s commitment to supporting Ethiopian Airlines’ growth and transforming Lagos into a dominant West African aviation hub.
“Ministry is still open to increasing ET’s frequency to Nigeria should the airline seek further frequency. When the airline approached us in the ministry requesting for an increase in frequency to Lagos, we did not hesitate. We did not hesitate because Ethiopian Airlines is our airline. We see Nigeria as part of Ethiopia, and Ethiopia as part of Nigeria”, Kana said.
Also commenting, Chairman of SIFAX Group and Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO), ground handlers to ET commended the airline for its consistency and commitment to Nigeria. “I want to commend Ethiopian Airlines for this milestone and its continued faith in the Nigerian market. The airline’s success is rooted in its operational discipline, strong partnerships, and dedication to service delivery”.