Summary: United Nigeria Airlines expansion will introduce direct services to Dubai, New York, London, Rome, Jeddah and several African capitals by Q2 2026 while boosting its fleet from 10 to 21 aircraft.

United Nigeria Airlines expansion marks a major step in the carrier’s growth: to coincide with its fifth anniversary the airline plans to launch new intercontinental and regional services by the second quarter of 2026, aiming to deliver greater connectivity between Nigeria, Africa and key global hubs.

Expansion overview

As part of a strategic push to evolve from a national carrier into a continental competitor, United Nigeria Airlines will add a slate of long-haul and regional routes. The programme is designed to capture rising demand for both business and leisure travel, while broadening options for passengers travelling to and from Nigeria.

New international and regional routes

The airline has announced plans to operate direct services to a mix of global hubs and African capitals. Destinations named for the roll-out include Dubai (DXB), New York (JFK), London (LHR), Rome (FCO), Jeddah (JED), Accra (ACC), Dakar (DSS), Monrovia (ROB) and Johannesburg (JNB). These choices reflect demand for links to major business centres, pilgrimage routes and key intra-African connections.

  • Dubai (DXB) — strategic Gulf hub
  • New York (JFK) — gateway to the United States
  • London (LHR) and Rome (FCO) — European connections
  • Jeddah (JED) — important for religious travel
  • Accra (ACC), Dakar (DSS), Monrovia (ROB), Johannesburg (JNB) — regional African links

The carrier expects to have these routes in service by the second quarter of 2026, expanding its international footprint to serve both long-haul and regional markets.

Fleet expansion to support new services

United Nigeria Airlines currently operates a fleet of 10 aircraft and intends to grow to 21 by the end of the second quarter of 2026 to underpin the expanded route network and increased frequencies.

  • Six Boeing 737-800 Next Generation (NG) jets secured, with deliveries starting March 2026 to serve regional and short-haul sectors
  • Two Airbus A330-200 widebodies to be leased from Anka Aviation (Turkey), scheduled between July and October 2026 to support long-haul routes

The 737-800 NGs are intended to provide fuel-efficient capacity across regional markets, while the A330-200s will enable sustained operations on transcontinental services such as New York, London and Dubai.

United Nigeria Airlines aircraft with new routes to Dubai, New York and London on the route map
United Nigeria Airlines is expanding its route map and fleet to serve new international and regional destinations

Operational upgrades and credentials

The airline has worked to overcome sector-specific challenges such as regulatory issues, currency volatility and infrastructure limits. It has transitioned maintenance practices toward an Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO) framework and plans to develop its own Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility within the next three years to increase control over upkeep.

United Nigeria Airlines has also achieved notable industry benchmarks: it joined the International Air Transport Association (IATA) within five years of operations and secured the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification in just two years, signalling a commitment to recognised safety and operational standards.

Passenger products and corporate social responsibility

To complement network growth, the carrier has rolled out inflight and customer programmes including the inflight magazine "Harmony" and the frequent-flyer scheme "Unity Rewards" offering benefits such as discounts, priority boarding and premium services. The UNA Foundation has also been launched to focus on education, healthcare and aviation training as part of the airline’s social investment.

What this means for travellers and the aviation industry

So what? For passengers, the expansion means more direct connections from Nigeria to major global hubs and stronger intra-African links, reducing travel times and eliminating some stopovers. For business travellers and diaspora communities, the new services should improve access to markets and family ties. For the aviation industry, United Nigeria Airlines’ growth underscores renewed investor confidence in African carriers and may spur competitive responses from regional and international rivals.

Tip: Travellers planning trips to these destinations should monitor schedule announcements, seating availability and visa requirements as United Nigeria Airlines rolls out its new services.