Qatar to launch flights to Kano and Port Harcourt, boosts service to Nigeria

Qatar Airways will increase its services to Nigeria in March 2022 with the launch of new routes to Kano (KAN) and Port Harcourt (PHC), both operating through Abuja, Nigeria.  

Qatar will operate four weekly flights to Kano from March 2, 2022 and three weekly flights to Port Harcourt from March 3, 2022.  

In a statement, Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar Al Baker praised the carrier’s resilience, and said: “The airline was one of the few to keep operating to many African destinations throughout the pandemic and, as restrictions are lifted, is continuing to expand its network on the continent.” 

Following the announcement, the Doha-based carrier plans to expand its service to Nigeria to four destinations. This includes two daily flights to Lagos and four weekly flights to Abuja. Overall, Qatar will service 188 weekly flights to 28 destinations in Africa by March 2022. 

According to the airline, the new services to Kano and Port Harcourt mark the seventh and eight African gateways launched by Qatar Airways since the start of the pandemic. With plans to deploy its 787 Dreamliner fleet on these new routes, the airline forecasts an uptick across its passenger and cargo operations. 

“We anticipate good reciprocal demand between Port Harcourt, UK, USA and destinations across Asia. For Kano we see the opportunity to grow traffic to and from markets such as KSA and India, as well as strong cargo prospects,” said the airline in the statement. 

Al Baker added: “As home to the largest economy and population in the region, we see tremendous growth potential for travel and trade in Nigeria. It is a key market and an important part of our African growth strategy; the expansion of our presence across two new gateways is a testament to our continuous commitment to Nigeria. “