Aviation : Emirates and Air Peace open new travel horizons between Africa and the world

Emirates and Air Peace activated an extended bilateral interline agreement in January 2026, enhancing access for African travellers to Emirates’ global network via its hub in Dubai and key European destinations including the United Kingdom. This expanded cooperation builds on their existing partnership and focuses on seamless connectivity improvements across international routes.

The interline agreement allows passengers of both airlines to book journeys with a single ticket and through‑checked baggage on selected routes, greatly simplifying connections. Beyond the 13 Nigerian cities already accessible through Air Peace’s network, the enhanced agreement now also provides connections to Banjul in The Gambia and Dakar in Senegal via Abidjan, as well as Freetown in Sierra Leone and Monrovia in Liberia via Accra.

A response to the growing demand for mobility between Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and other regions

For African travellers, this development opens new travel horizons by facilitating access to major global hubs, including Dubai and London (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted), and Emirates’ extensive international network. It responds to growing demand for mobility between Africa, the Middle East, Europe and beyond, while supporting tourism, business and cultural exchanges.

Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates, explained the partnership’s significance: “Enhancing our interline partnership with Air Peace allows us to expand our footprint across more of Africa, creating new opportunities for people to fly better with Emirates, while helping international tourists explore more of the region via Lagos.”

Nowel Ngala, Chief Commercial Officer at Air Peace, emphasized the strategic impact for African travellers: “This interline agreement with Emirates represents a major step in Air Peace’s strategic vision to connect Africa more efficiently to global markets.” He noted that integrating their networks improves both travel experience and access to key international destinations.

Connect Africa to global destinations

The agreement marks a new era of aviation connectivity for Africa, enabling passengers from cities across the region — including destinations in The Gambia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Liberia — to connect to global destinations with greater ease and comfort. By reducing logistical barriers and boosting seamless connections, this cooperation also strengthens economic, tourism and cultural ties between Africa and the wider world.

Regional connectivity still lags global standards

Nevertheless, these gains should be understood in a context where regional connectivity still lags global standards. Many intra‑African routes remain underserved, and transforming networks into highly competitive hubs will require continued investment in infrastructure, workforce training, and regulatory improvements.