United Nigeria Airlines unveils aggressive expansion phase

• To expand wings to US, London, UAE, Senegal, South Africa

United Nigeria Airlines (UNA) celebrates its 5th anniversary by unveiling ambitious plans to expand its wings to the United States, London, and several other international destinations.

Since its inaugural flight in 2021, the airline has transitioned from a domestic carrier to a regional player and is now positioning itself for global operations.

The mega plans shared by the airline’s Chairman, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, focus on fleet modernisation and global connectivity.

In addition to its existing regional service to Accra, Ghana, the carrier launched in late 2025 and has secured approvals and is preparing to launch flights to London, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and Senegal.

To support these long-haul ambitions, the airline recently signed a landmark agreement to acquire six Boeing 737-800 aircraft from US-based Southwest Airlines. These jets are expected to be inducted between early 2026 and 2027.

Speaking at a press conference with the theme, “From Vision To Velocity – Five Years of United Growth: Charting the Next Frontiers,” Okonkwo reflected on the carrier’s modest take-off on February 12, 2021, when it operated its maiden flight from Lagos to Enugu.

He described the journey as one driven by resilience, calculated ambition and an unrelenting quest for operational excellence.

From a single-route operation powered by four aircraft, the airline has rapidly evolved into a growing domestic network linking 16 cities, supported by a fleet of 10 aircraft and now extending into regional operations with entry into the Ghanaian market.

During the period, the airline said it transported millions of passengers, secured global recognition through membership in the International Air Transport Association, and achieved the coveted International Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) safety certification within two years of operations.

Despite navigating a turbulent operating climate marked by the COVID-19 shutdown, infrastructure limitations, regulatory complexities and currency instability, the airline maintained that each challenge strengthened its operational discipline and strategic focus.

Riding on the momentum of its early success, United Nigeria Airlines is now positioning itself for what it describes as its most aggressive expansion phase yet.

Okonkwo said the airline has ordered 11 aircraft, including two A330-200s and six 737-800s, in preparation for operations.

Okonkwo said one of the aircraft, an A330-200, will be delivered to the airline by the end of the second quarter of this year, while the others will be delivered later in the year.

“We are starting some regional and international routes by the end second quarter of this year, one of the A330-200 will be delivered to us by July 26, the second one will come in by October and by the end of the second quarter, we will fly direct to New York.

” We plan to start an additional six regional and continental routes on or before the 2nd quarter of 2026. These routes include, but are not limited to, Dakar, Monrovia, Johannesburg, etc. Plans are in an advanced stage to commence international flights to the Gulf states, Europe, and America by summer 2026, all being equal. These destinations include Dubai, Jeddah, Rome, New York, and the UK.

” To add to our existing 10 Aircraft in our operations as of today, we have acquired six 737 – 800 NG from Southwest Aviation and are finalising negotiations for an additional three of the same aircraft type, all scheduled to be delivered before the end of the second quarter, starting from March 2026 when we take delivery of the first two aircraft.”

“We had also leased 2 A330 – 200 wide-body aircraft to support our international operations from Anka Aviation Turkey, to be delivered between July and October 2026, with the first delivery on the 26th of July, amongst other aircraft acquisition negotiations that deliveries may mature beyond 2026,” he said.

Speaking further on the roadmap for the next five years, he said the airline’s ambition is to transform it from a leading national carrier into a recognised continental aviation powerhouse, with strategic regional, continental, and eventually intercontinental routes.

Wole Shadare