Lagos. Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) has launched direct flights between Dar es Salaam and Lagos, a move expected to deepen trade, tourism and cultural ties between East and West Africa.
The inaugural flight touched down in Lagos on September 20, 2025, marking a new connection between the two regional economic powerhouses.
The ceremony was attended by senior government officials from Tanzania and Nigeria, members of the business community, tourism stakeholders and representatives of the diaspora.
Tanzania’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Selestine Kakele, described the launch as “a new chapter and a bridge linking two influential African nations through their major cities, Lagos and Dar es Salaam.”
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, represented by Janet Oputa, said the flights would not only spur trade and tourism but also strengthen people-to-people ties in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).
Leading the Tanzanian delegation, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Prof Godius Kahyarara, highlighted Nigeria’s economic weight, noting that it is the second-largest economy in Africa after South Africa, while in some sectors, Egypt holds that position.
“We see this as a major opportunity to open up our country by linking Tanzania with Nigeria through air transport services,” he said.
Air Tanzania Chief Executive Officer, Peter Ulanga, said adding Lagos to the airline’s network expands ATCL’s footprint to more than 29 destinations.
“This is not merely the launch of a new route but part of our broader commercial strategy to open up the country, stimulate development and grow our economy,” he said.
The Dar es Salaam–Lagos flights will operate three times a week. Departures from Dar es Salaam are scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while return flights from Lagos will be on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
