Ibom Air Launches Historic Uyo-Accra International Service as New Terminal Opens

Ibom Air achieved a milestone on Saturday, operating its maiden scheduled international flight from Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, to Accra’s Kotoka International Airport. The flight, carrying 86 passengers and four crew on a Bombardier CRJ 900, marked the first time a state government-owned airline has launched a regularly scheduled cross-border service from its home base.

The inaugural Accra service also coincided with the formal opening of the airport’s new international terminal building—a project that began 27 years ago. Governor Umo Eno, who led a pre-departure ceremony, said the terminal is the first in Nigeria designed to allow passengers to transfer seamlessly between international and domestic flights under a single roof without exiting the building.

“This is the first and only airport terminal in the country where passengers would transfer seamlessly from international to domestic flights and vice versa without having to go outside this building,” Eno stated, describing it as a unique selling point that positions the airport as an aviation hub.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, reinforced the point, noting the multiplier effects such infrastructure would have on passenger experience and the state’s economic competitiveness. He urged Ibom Air to leverage the facility as a long-term differentiator.

Flight QI 640 departed Uyo at 3:19 p.m. local time with Captain Kumi Toyinbo in command, reaching Accra after 84 minutes. On arrival, passengers noted that “Uyo” and “Ibom Air” were displayed on the airport’s flight information screens alongside major international cities, a powerful symbol of the new connection. One of the passengers, journalist Etim Etim, described the moment as “joyous” as the 86 travellers witnessed the debut listing.

The milestone is the culmination of decades of state investment in aviation. The airport was conceived by former Governor Victor Attah and completed in 2009 with a temporary terminal under Godswill Akpabio. The administration of Udom Emmanuel began construction of the permanent terminal and founded Ibom Air in 2019. Governor Eno, who took office in 2023, completed the terminal building, took delivery of two new Airbus jets (with a third expected next month), and has now launched the carrier’s first regional route from Uyo. Ibom Air had been operating a Lagos-Accra-Lagos service since October 2023, but Saturday’s flight extended the network directly to the state capital.

Governor Eno’s ambition, articulated during the trip, is to model Ibom Air after Ethiopian Airlines, a government-owned carrier run on strict commercial lines that contributes substantially to national GDP. Ethiopian Airlines reported $7.6 billion in revenue for the 2024/2025 fiscal year.

On the return leg on Sunday, First Officer Enwongoabasi Esara made an emotional cabin announcement, paying tribute to former governor Udom Emmanuel, who sponsored 20 Akwa Ibom youths for pilot training in France in 2020. Governor Eno subsequently covered the fees for them to complete their training, and all 20 have since been certified as pilots, with 10 additional youths undergoing training at Ethiopian Airlines. The 89-minute return flight, commanded by Captain Abubakar Abdulkarim, touched down in Uyo at 4:00 p.m. to a festive reception.

Addressing journalists later, Governor Eno announced the creation of a Ministry of Aviation and Airport Development, adding that a search for a qualified aviation professional to lead the ministry would begin soon. Construction of a cargo terminal, he said, will also commence in the near term.

The new Uyo-Accra link is expected to serve a substantial travel market: millions of Nigerians reside in Ghana, five Nigerian banks operate there, and several Nigerian carriers already ply the Lagos-Accra and Abuja-Accra routes. For travellers from the South-East and South-South, the direct flight eliminates the need to transit through Lagos, offering a more convenient connection given the recently reconstructed Aba-Ikot Ekpene road. Ibom Air plans to expand its regional network to include Yaoundé, Douala, Libreville, Nairobi and other African destinations.