Uganda Airlines (UR, Entebbe) is working on obtaining fifth freedom rights for its newly launched route between Entebbe, Lagos, and Accra, with Ghana having approved the arrangement but Nigeria yet to grant authorisation, CEO Girma Wake has told ch-aviation.
"We have it from the Ghana side, but Nigeria did not give it to us yet. It will come soon, though. We are working on it," he said.
Launched on October 27, 2026, the service operates 4x weekly with B737-800 ET-APL (msn 40965), wet leased earlier this year from Ethiopian Airlines.
In an interview with UBC Television News, Wake explained that the airline was negotiating with the Nigerian authorities, which had linked approval to Uganda signing up to the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). Uganda is working with its government to join the initiative, he said.
Approval would enable Uganda Airlines to tap into local traffic on the busy Lagos-Accra corridor, generating additional revenue beyond connecting passengers travelling through Entebbe. The carrier plans to increase frequencies gradually to daily and potentially twice daily as demand grows.
What he did not say is that SAATM membership would also work in the other direction. Nigerian designated airlines would be entitled, in principle, to exercise equivalent fifth-freedom rights involving Uganda.
Expanding regional feeder routes is essential to building passenger volumes for long-haul services, Wake said, citing the improved performance of the London Gatwick route following connections from Harare International, Lusaka, and Johannesburg O.R. Tambo.
Operational constraints
Still, aircraft shortages remain a constraint, he said, with Uganda Airlines extending the wet lease of the B737-800 until March 2027 while awaiting the return of additional aircraft to service.
Uganda Airlines' in-house fleet of six aircraft comprises two A330-800Ns and four CRJ900LRs, one of each being grounded.
The airline has ordered four B737-8s, four B787-9s, and two freighters, expected to be a B737-800(BCF) and a B767-300ER(BCF). The B737 MAX aircraft are all scheduled for delivery in 2032, followed by the B787-9s all in 2033.
The airline projects revenue of USD116 million this year, rising to USD160 million in 2027. It is targeting annual revenue of USD400 million to USD500 million by 2030, supported by passenger growth, cargo, and additional aviation services.
