Uganda Airlines starts direct flights to Lagos, Nigeria

Uganda Airlines has announced the addition of Lagos to its route network, which started yesterday – October 19, 2023, linking Uganda to Africa’s largest economy with a direct air service for the first time.

This follows the securing of approvals by aeronautical authorities in Uganda and Nigeria, Airline executives said on Oct.19.

UR 900, the inaugural service to Nigeria, departed Entebbe International Airport at 16.00 hours local time for Lagos Murtala Muhammad International Airport, where it arrived at 18.30 hours local time.

Uganda Airlines will operate flights to Nigeria three times a week with flights on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays, using its 258-seat state-of-the-art Airbus A330-800neo.

“Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy while Uganda’s central location on the continent makes it the ideal connection hub between East, West, North and Southern Africa,” said Jenifer Bamuturaki, the Airlines Chief Executive Officer.

She added: “The direct flights will yield significant time savings for our guests who will be terminating their journeys in Uganda and those who may wish to travel onward within our network to Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Mombasa, Juba, Bujumbura, Kinshasa, Dubai, Mogadishu or Johannesburg and Mumbai.”

As a strategic partner, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is collaborating with Uganda Airlines to unpack opportunities that the new route brings in the context of trade and tourism for inclusive and sustainable development.

UNDP supported 40 businesswomen in the trade and tourism sectors to be part of the inaugural flight.

The objective of this support was to facilitate business-to-business linkages for export-ready companies targeting the Lagos and larger West African markets.

The inaugural flight had passengers who took part in the Nigeria-Uganda trade and business forum at Lagos Marriott Hotel, Ikeja on Oct 20.

“Customers can book their journeys using our dedicated Uganda Airlines App from the convenience of their phones and other hand-held devices or our network of travel agents,” the Airline Executives say.

Lagos becomes Uganda Airlines’ 13^th destination and comes in quick succession to Mumbai, which launched on October 7.

“What an extraordinary homecoming! Our inaugural flight from Entebbe to Lagos was skillfully led by Uganda Airlines’ Captain Isaac Ogoyi, whose connection to Nigeria needs no introduction,” the airline said on its X (formerly Twitter) handle.