Domestic and regional carrier United Nigeria Airlines on Thursday celebrated five years of operations with a grand event at the Sheraton Hotel, highlighting its growth trajectory and unveiling ambitious expansion plans.
The anniversary ceremony featured the launch of an in flight magazine titled Harmony and the United Airlines Foundation, an initiative aimed at supporting education, healthcare, aviation training and commerce development across Nigeria.
Chairman of the airline, Obiora Okonkwo, reflected on the carrier’s humble beginnings. He recalled that its inaugural flight from Murtala Muhammed Airport to Akanu Ibiam International Airport took place shortly after the COVID shutdown, with passengers wearing face masks amid global uncertainty.
Starting operations with four ERJ145 aircraft, the airline has grown its fleet to 10 aircraft, expanded from a single Enugu route to 16 domestic destinations, and added a regional route to Ghana. Okonkwo detailed the challenges faced, including stranded pilots in South Africa during border closures, aircraft preservation in Mexico, naira devaluation and foreign exchange scarcity.
Under its new roadmap themed From Vision to Velocity Five Years of United Growth Starting the Next Frontiers, the airline plans to expand regionally and internationally. Okonkwo disclosed that two Airbus A330 200 aircraft have been acquired to operate direct flights from Lagos to New York by the end of the second quarter of 2026.
Additionally, six Boeing 737 800NG aircraft are expected to support routes to destinations such as Dakar, South Africa, Dubai and Jeddah, with deliveries scheduled before the end of the second quarter.
The airline also plans to list on the stock exchange within three to five years, citing high borrowing costs of up to 35 percent interest as a major challenge for operators.
Okonkwo further stressed the need for transit facilities at Nigerian airports, noting ongoing engagements with Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to develop hub operations that will ease passenger connections beyond Lagos and Abuja.
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