Ethiopian Airlines Taps Air Peace Network to Extend Reach into West Africa

November 12, 2026 | By Semahegn Nigatu

Ethiopian Airlines has struck an interline agreement with Nigeria's Air Peace, giving the continent's largest airline group a commercial gateway into one of West Africa's most important domestic aviation markets while extending Air Peace's access to international destinations through Addis Ababa.

The agreement, announced on November 10, allows the two airlines to sell eligible connecting journeys covering flights operated by both carriers under a single ticket. It also provides for passengers' baggage to be checked through to their final destinations where the arrangement applies.

For Ethiopian Airlines, the partnership creates additional access to passengers travelling from Nigerian and other West African cities beyond its own network. Air Peace, in turn, can offer passengers connections to Ethiopian Airlines' destinations across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas without having to establish its own services to those markets.

The arrangement effectively expands the commercial reach of both airlines through existing flight networks rather than requiring either carrier to introduce new routes or deploy additional aircraft. Addis Ababa is expected to serve as a connecting point for West African passengers travelling on Ethiopian Airlines' international services.

The agreement also gives Ethiopian Airlines a route into Nigeria's domestic aviation market through Air Peace, which operates services across the country and has regional connections. This could help the Ethiopian carrier attract passengers whose journeys begin or end outside the cities it serves directly.

For Air Peace, the arrangement provides an additional distribution channel for international travel, allowing it to offer connecting itineraries beyond the destinations covered by its own aircraft.

The commercial value of the partnership will depend partly on the range of routes made available under the agreement, the frequency of connecting flights and the ease with which passengers can book the combined itineraries. Neither airline has disclosed a list of eligible routes, the date on which bookings will become available or the expected passenger volumes.

The agreement comes as African aviation continues to contend with fragmented air networks, limited direct connections and high travel costs. An International Air Transport Association presentation in 2025 found that only 19 percent of intra-African routes had direct flights, forcing passengers on many journeys to take longer and more expensive connecting routes.

Against this backdrop, airline partnerships offer one way to expand connectivity without the financial and operational commitments associated with opening new routes. Interline arrangements can allow carriers to feed passengers into one another's networks, potentially improving the commercial viability of existing services.

Ethiopian Airlines has pursued a multi-hub strategy through partnerships with carriers including ASKY in Togo, Malawi Airlines, Zambia Airways and Air Congo in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The approach enables the group to extend its reach into markets where partner airlines have established domestic and regional networks.

The latest agreement adds Air Peace to this network of commercial relationships, strengthening Ethiopian Airlines' access to West Africa, particularly Nigeria, a market with significant domestic passenger demand.

Ethiopian Airlines carried 20.7 million passengers in the 2025/26 financial year, generating revenue of 9.1 billion US dollars. It operated international services to 150 destinations and served 25 domestic destinations during the period.

Source: FSX Business News