United Nigeria Airlines (UNA) announced it will commence direct flights from Abuja and Lagos to Ilorin on 5 December 2025, the carrier said in an official press release and social media posts. The move expands UNA’s domestic footprint and follows the airline’s recent start of regional services to Accra.
Why it matters
Direct Abuja–Ilorin and Lagos–Ilorin links shorten journey times and increase business and leisure travel options to Kwara State, supporting local commerce and tourism. For the wider Nigerian aviation market, the route adds capacity to secondary airports and underlines a new wave of domestic network densification by private carriers.
What UNA announced and the schedule
- Start date: UNA states direct flights start 5 December 2025.
- Routing: The services operate Lagos ↔ Ilorin and Abuja ↔ Ilorin, enabling point-to-point travel without indirect connections. UNA’s public announcement and booking pages show the routes are now live for sale.
- Wider expansion context: The Ilorin launch follows UNA’s November 2025 regional launch to Accra and other route announcements that form part of the airline’s network growth plan.
Quick facts (timeline & context)
- 5 Dec 2025: UNA begins direct services between Abuja/Lagos and Ilorin (announced by the airline).
- 10 Nov 2025: UNA inaugurated daily regional flights to Accra from Abuja (context for UNA’s expansion).
- Where to book: Routes are listed on UNA’s official website and social channels.
Operational and market implications
- Accessibility: Ilorin’s General Tunde Idiagbon Airport gains scheduled direct connectivity to Nigeria’s two major aviation hubs (Lagos and Abuja), reducing travel time for business and government travellers.
- Airport utilisation: Increased scheduled services can support local airport revenue and create last-mile tourism and cargo opportunities for Kwara State. Secondary airports often rely on at least one reliable operator to build consistent traffic.
- Competition & connectivity: UNA’s move may prompt competing carriers to reassess capacity or timing on Ilorin routes; it also supports government objectives to enhance regional connectivity.
Verification & caveats
- Confirmed: UNA’s press release and booking pages show the routes and start date; national outlets (Punch, Guardian, BusinessDay) reported the launch.
- Pending / To watch: Actual aircraft type assigned to the route, frequency per week, on-time performance and early load factors will be verifiable only after operations begin. For deeper analysis, monitor flight tracking and airport movement logs in the first two weeks of service.
Passenger guidance (what travellers should know)
- Book early: UNA’s booking portal lists fares and schedules, passengers should confirm baggage rules and check-in cut-offs on the airline site.
- Connections: Travellers from other regions should verify that onward connections are feasible given the new schedules (no implied codeshares were announced).
What’s Next? Industry outlook & watchlist
- First-month performance: Check early load factors and on-time statistics for the first 2-4 weeks after 5 Dec 2025 to evaluate commercial viability.
- Route frequency and aircraft type: Watch UNA booking pages and flight trackers for the exact equipment and any frequency increases.
- Competitive response: Monitor legacy and regional carriers for competing schedules or promotional fares on Ilorin corridors.
Sources
- Punch: “UNA begins Abuja-Lagos-Ilorin direct flights.”
- United Nigeria Airlines press release / social posts: company announcement that routes commence on 5 Dec 2025.
- Guardian / BusinessDay / Travel & Tour World: independent reporting on UNA’s domestic and regional network expansion.
- Ilorin local coverage (Ilorin.info): route and airport details.
