Two Nigerian airlines are finalising the necessary regulatory processes to enable them to start scheduled passenger operations to Ghana’s capital Accra this year.

Enugu-based United Nigeria Airlines and another yet-to-be-named Nigeria-registered airline have indicated that they are ready to serve the Ghanaian market this year and boost intra-regional connectivity, sources close to the issue told AviationGhana.

The five main regional airlines servicing the Kotoka International Airport, ASKY, AWA, Air Peace, Air Cote D’Ivoire, and Air Burkina, transported a combined 304,000 passengers in 2022.

The entry of the two new Nigerian-based airlines is expected to further increase the regional passenger throughput this year. Nigeria will then have three of their main airlines servicing Accra, Ghana.

United Nigeria Airlines currently operates mainly domestic flights within Nigeria—servicing the Abuja, Asaba, Lagos, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Yenagoa, and Enugu airports was designated through diplomatic channels to start flight operations into Ghana last year.

United Nigeria Airlines joins the list of Nigerian carriers designated through official channels to operate flights between Ghana and Nigeria such as Air Peace, Arik, Dana Air, and MedView.

Africa World Airlines (AWA) remains the only Ghanaian registered airline designated to operate commercial flights into Nigeria.

AWA currently operates scheduled flights from its base in Accra to Kumasi, Takoradi, and Tamale. For regional flights, it services the Accra-Lagos-Accra and Accra-Abuja-Accra routes.