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Emirates Airline is set to expand its presence in Nigeria with the start of a daily linked service to Abuja and Kano from August 1, 2014.
The announcement follows Emirates’ recent milestone of 10 years of successful operations to Lagos, to which the airline flies twice daily. The flight announcement follows the approval granted to Emirates Airline by the Federal Ministry of Aviation.
In a letter to Stella Oduah, the aviation minister, dated February 03, 2014 and signed by Salem Obaidalla, senior vice president, aeropolitical and industry affairs, Emirates Airlines, the Carrier expressed gratitude to the federal government for the continued support and assistance extended to it throughout the period it has been operating in Nigeria.
He disclosed that the flights will be operated “in accordance with the existing UAE-Nigeria agreement on air services, with four weekly flights routed Dubai-Abuja-Kano-Dubai and three weekly flights routed Dubai-Kano-Abuja-Dubai, without carriage of domestic traffic (cabotage) between Abuja and Kano.”
Obaidalla further assured that Emirates Airline ‘’remains fully committed to the Nigerian market and to provide Nigerian travellers the best possible service.’’
Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of the airline, introduced a scheduled freighter service to Kano in October 2013, and with Abuja joining the network, Emirates will now fly to 26 destinations in Africa and 142 worldwide in 80 countries.
Emirates launched services to Nigeria on January 26, 2004 with four flights per week from Dubai to Lagos linked with Accra in Ghana, using an A330-200 aircraft.
“Nigeria is experiencing strong demographic and economic growth. The country is strategic to Emirates’ global expansion, as Africa is. The new service will also help create new opportunities for business, industry and tourism,” the airline said.
