Kenya Airways (KQ) has reaffirmed its commitment to the Nigerian market, announcing plans to increase its Lagos operations to six flights weekly while exploring the launch of services to Abuja and partnerships with Nigerian airlines to strengthen domestic connectivity.
The airline disclosed the plans during an award dinner held to honour travel trade and industry partners for their contributions to its performance in Nigeria over the past year.
Speaking at the event, Kenya Airways Country Manager, James Nganga, said the airline was expanding connectivity from Lagos to meet growing demand while promoting Kenya as a destination for business, tourism and medical travel.
“We are enhancing our connectivity out of Lagos. We are also supporting more business into Kenya because we feel there are a lot of opportunities. We are promoting Kenya as a holiday destination and more recently as a medical destination in partnership with Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya,” he said.
The airline’s General Manager for West Africa and the Americas, Stephen Ngamau, said Kenya Airways remained committed to investing in the Nigerian market through increased capacity and improved connectivity.
He announced that the airline would begin operating its Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the Lagos route six times a week from the following week, while revealing plans to commence flights to Abuja in the near future.
Ngamau also said the carrier was exploring partnership opportunities with Nigerian airlines to provide seamless connections for passengers travelling to various destinations across the country.
According to him, the airline also intends to stimulate leisure travel to Kenya through its KQ Holidays initiative.
Kenya Airways Chief Commercial and Customer Officer, Julius Thairu, described Nigeria as one of the airline’s most strategic markets, noting that travel agencies and tour operators remained critical to its business growth.
“Today is a very important day because we are celebrating the success of the partnership we have with our trade partners here in Nigeria.
“A significant part of our business is done through our trade partners. They are the ones who interface with customers and sell and tell customers about Kenya Airways products, whether it is to Nairobi or to other parts of Africa. So they are a critical part of the ecosystem,” he said.
Also speaking, Kenya’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Isaac Keen Parashina, described Nigeria as a key market for Kenya and said the national carrier plays an important role in strengthening economic and people-to-people ties between both countries.
He attributed the rise in travel from Nigeria to Kenya to the East African country’s visa-free policy, which allows Nigerians to visit Kenya for up to 60 days without obtaining a visa.
“Nigeria is a very important market and Kenya Airways, the Pride of Africa, is the bridge between Kenya and Nigeria. Within the last one year there has been a boost in terms of visitors to Kenya because of the visa-free policy which allows Nigerians to visit Kenya for 60 days without any demand for a visa. This is what Kenya stands for when it comes to matters of integration of our continent,” he said.
Parashina added that free movement across Africa requires efficient transport infrastructure, noting that Kenya Airways continues to provide vital connectivity between Kenya, Nigeria and other destinations.
He also reaffirmed support for the airline’s partnership with Aga Khan University Hospital, describing the Nairobi-based institution as a leading teaching and specialist medical facility.
Partnerships Director at Aga Khan University Hospital, Pauline Ngatia, said the hospital is a 300-bed not-for-profit teaching institution with 54 medical centres and subsidised accommodation for patients, positioning it as a preferred destination for medical tourism.
The event concluded with the presentation of awards and certificates of recognition to travel agencies and tour operators for their outstanding contributions to Kenya Airways’ growth in the Nigerian market.
Among the major winners, Bon Voyage Travels received the Best Asante Award, while 247 Travels emerged Best Selling Agent for the Middle East and Africa. Wakanow won the Best Selling Agent for Europe and America, Best Seller to Destination Kenya, Best Overall Business Class Performing Agent and the Overall Best Seller Intra-Africa Award.
Luchia Travels and Mardis Travels jointly received the Best Group Support Agents Award, while Cinderella Travel & Tours Limited was honoured with the Rising Star Award. Tour Brokers International won the Overall Best Seller Tour Operator Award.
In the corporate travel category, FCM Travel, BTM Travels and American Express Global Travel secured third, second and first positions respectively in the Top Driving Corporate Revenue Awards. Satguru Travel & Tours finished third in the Best Revenue Performing Agent category, 247 Travels came second, while Wakanow claimed the top position.
