In a stride towards deepening regional connectivity and strengthening intra-African travel further advancing the airline’s vision of connecting more African cities and creating seamless travel opportunities across the continent and beyond, West and Central Africa’s largest carrier, Air Peace Limited, officially commenced flight operations on the Lagos–Conakry–Bamako route on Saturday, August 1, 2026, with the inaugural flight departing the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Terminal 2, Lagos.

The new route marks another significant milestone in the airline’s strategic regional expansion drive, connecting Nigeria’s commercial capital with the Republic of Guinea and the Republic of Mali, while opening up greater opportunities for business, tourism, trade, cultural exchange and people-to-people connections across the sub-region.

Upon arrival at the Ahmed Sékou Touré International Airport in Conakry, the Air Peace delegation, led by Nowel Ngala, the airline’s Chief Commercial Officer, and Director of Flight Operations, Augustine Kamano, was warmly received by Ousmane Gaoul Diallo, the Guinean Minister of Transport; the Nigerian Ambassador to Conakry, Umaru Kamfu;
Thiam Oumar Sekou, the Director of the Civil Aviation Authority; and members of the Nigerian community in Guinea.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ousmane Gaoul Diallo, Minister of Transport, welcomed Air Peace’s entry into the Guinean market, describing the new connection as an important development that would strengthen the relationship between Nigeria and Guinea while facilitating greater movement of people, trade and economic opportunities between both countries.

Thiam Oumar Sekou, the Director of the Civil Aviation Authority, also welcomed the airline’s operations, highlighting the importance of increased air connectivity in supporting the growth of aviation and strengthening regional integration across West Africa.

In his remarks, Umaru Kamfu, the Nigerian Ambassador to Conakry, commended Air Peace for its continued commitment to connecting Nigeria with key destinations across Africa. He noted that the new route would further strengthen bilateral relations and provide a more convenient travel link for Nigerians, Guineans and other travellers within the region.

Speaking on behalf of Nowel Ngala, Air Peace, the Chief Commercial Officer, described the inaugural flight as a significant milestone in the airline’s regional connectivity journey.

He noted that the new Conakry and Bamako connections were part of Air Peace’s broader commitment to building a robust African network that enables travellers from across the airline’s domestic destinations to seamlessly connect through Lagos to regional and international destinations, including London and the Caribbean.

Ngala reaffirmed that Air Peace remains committed to leveraging its growing network to bring African cities closer together, while providing passengers with greater connectivity, convenience and access to new opportunities across the continent and beyond.

Following the Conakry stop, the Air Peace delegation proceeded to Bamako, where the inaugural flight landed at the Modibo Keita International Airport.

The delegation was warmly welcomed by Abdrahamane Farota, the Deputy Director of Assistance Aéroportuaire du Mali; Bahide Konandji, the Technical Director of Assistance Aéroportuaire du Mali, representing the Director General of Mali Airport; alongside members of the Nigerian community in Mali.

Speaking at the welcome ceremony, Mr. Farota commended Air Peace for expanding its operations into Mali, noting that the new connection would strengthen air connectivity between Nigeria and Mali while creating greater opportunities for trade, tourism and economic cooperation between both countries.

Also speaking, Konandji, who represented the Director General of Mali Airport, welcomed the airline’s arrival in Bamako, describing the new route as a positive development for the country’s aviation sector and a significant step towards deepening regional connectivity. He expressed optimism that the new service would facilitate easier movement between Mali, Nigeria and other destinations across Air Peace’s growing network.

Members of the Nigerian community in Mali also expressed their appreciation for the new route, noting that the direct connection would provide greater convenience for Nigerians travelling between both countries while further strengthening the bonds between the Nigerian and Malian communities.

The launch of the Lagos–Conakry–Bamako route reinforces Air Peace’s position as a key player in the advancement of intra-African connectivity and reflects the airline’s unwavering commitment to its mission of bridging cities, connecting people and driving economic opportunities through air travel.

With the commencement of operations to Conakry and Bamako, Air Peace now serves 13 regional destinations across West Africa, marking a remarkable expansion achieved within just 11 years of commencing commercial operations. The milestone further underscores the airline’s antecedent of pioneering new routes, expanding Nigeria’s aviation footprint and positioning Lagos as a strategic gateway for seamless connectivity across Africa and the world.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.