Air Tanzania to launch Lagos flights as part of international expansion

Abuja, Nigeria. Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) is set to introduce direct flights to Lagos as part of a strategic expansion that will see the national carrier launch services to five new international destinations.

The other planned routes are to Juba (South Sudan), Accra (Ghana), Muscat (Oman) and London (UK), marking the airline’s most ambitious growth phase in recent years.

The addition of Lagos will complement ATCL’s existing international network, which already covers key destinations in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

The carrier currently operates flights to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Mumbai in India, Guangzhou in China, Johannesburg in South Africa, Lubumbashi and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nairobi in Kenya, Hahaya in Comoros, Ndola and Lusaka in Zambia, Harare in Zimbabwe, Bujumbura in Burundi, and Entebbe in Uganda.

The Lagos route received a significant boost on August 12, 2025 when the Nigerian government officially granted ATCL a Foreign Carrier Operation Permit (FCOP).

The authorisation, presented at the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development headquarters in Abuja, paves the way for scheduled flights between Dar es Salaam and Nigeria’s commercial hub.

Senior aviation officials and government representatives from both countries attended the ceremony, reflecting the importance of the development.

The permit is expected to unlock new opportunities for trade, tourism and diplomatic engagement between two of Africa’s largest economies.

Nigeria’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, said the initiative was designed to enhance operational efficiency, safety and cooperation between the two nations’ aviation sectors.

Represented by Ahmed Mohammed, he noted that the FCOP would align operations with international best practices, ensuring smooth coordination among aviation stakeholders.

“This is a significant step in our efforts to promote aviation cooperation and excellence,” he said, expressing confidence that the move would yield lasting benefits for both sides.

The Nigerian government considers the new connection part of a broader strategy to strengthen regional integration across the continent.

For ATCL, the launch of Lagos flights fits into a wider ambition to position itself as a key connector within Africa and beyond.

By adding West Africa, the Middle East and Europe to its route map, the airline aims to expand its reach and capture growing passenger demand.

Welcoming ATCL’s entry into the Nigerian market, the Director of Air Traffic Regulation at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Yinka Babaoye Iriobe, highlighted the country’s potential for aviation sector growth.

She said a Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries would soon be signed, requiring ATCL to upload passenger data into the NCAA’s AVITECH portal.

The FCOP, she explained, is the formal authorisation for the airline to commence operations.

Tanzania’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Selestine Gervas Kakele, described Nigeria as a gateway to prosperity for Africa, noting that the direct link would help resolve long-standing challenges posed by limited regional connectivity.

Following a detailed base inspection in Tanzania, the NCAA issued ATCL with a Document of Authorisation, Condition and Limitation.

The airline has also secured approval for its Local Security Operation Procedures and has applied for office space at Lagos’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport, along with residence permits for its staff.

The launch of direct flights to Lagos is seen as a pivotal step for both nations, promising to enhance people-to-people exchanges, boost trade and tourism, and advance the broader goal of economic integration across Africa.