Kenya Airways (KQ) has restated its strategic focus on Nigeria, announcing increased flight frequencies, network expansion plans, and deeper collaboration with travel trade partners to drive traffic between Nigeria, Kenya and connecting points across Africa and beyond via its Nairobi hub.
Speaking at a trade partner appreciation dinner in Lagos, Country Manager Mr. James Nganga said the carrier was intensifying connectivity from Lagos while also positioning Kenya for business, leisure 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 stated.
KQ’s General Manager, West Africa and Americas, Mr. Stephen Ngamau said the airline would deploy its Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the Lagos route six times weekly effective next week, as part of a broader capacity injection into the Nigerian market. He further disclosed plans to commence services to Abuja and to pursue interline and codeshare arrangements with Nigerian carriers to facilitate domestic feed because, according to him, “With KQ Holidays, the airline also aims to stimulate inbound leisure travel to Kenya,” he added.
The airline’s Chief Commercial and Customer Officer Mr. Julius Thairu underscored the role of the trade channel in the airline’s commercial performance: “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. So they are a critical part of the ecosystem,” he noted.
The Kenyan Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Isaac Keen Parashina, linked aviation growth to regional integration, citing the impact of Kenya’s visa-free policy for Nigerian nationals: “Nigeria is a very important market and Kenya Airways, the pride of Africa, is the bridge between Kenya and Nigeria. It’s been mentioned that 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 noted.
He explained further, that seamless mobility required supporting infrastructure, which the airline provides through its hub-and-spoke network. The Ambassador also endorsed the carrier’s collaboration with Aga Khan University Hospital, describing the facility as a premier institution for training and specialized medical care.
Providing context on the medical tourism initiative, Partnerships Director at Aga Khan University Hospital, Pauline Ngatia, said the 300-bed not-for-profit teaching hospital operates 54 medical centres and offers subsidized patient accommodation to support medical travelers.
The event culminated in the presentation of awards to top-performing agents and tour operators. Wakanow emerged as the biggest winner, securing Best Selling Agent Europe & America, Overall Best Seller Intra-Africa, Best Seller to Destination Kenya, Best Overall Business Class Performing Agent, and 1st Place Best Revenue Performing Agent.
Other awardees included Bon Voyage Travels for Best Asante Agent; 247 Travels for Best Selling Agent Middle East & Africa and 2nd Place Revenue; Luchia Travels and Mardis Travels for Best Group Support; Tour Brokers International for Overall Best Seller Tour Operator, and Cinderella Travel & Tours for Rising Star. In the corporate segment, American Express Global Travels took 1st Place for Top Driving Corporate Revenue, followed by BTM Travels and FCM Travel.
According to the airline, these recognitions are aimed at reinforcing trade partnerships that underpin its growth strategy in West Africa, noting that continued collaboration would be essential to expanding market reach, improving customer experience and unlocking new opportunities across the region.
