Ethiopian Airlines will expand its Nigerian network with the launch of scheduled passenger flights to Port Harcourt from December 1, 2026, making the Rivers State capital its fifth destination in the country.
The new service will operate four times weekly on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, connecting Port Harcourt directly with the airline’s Addis Ababa hub and providing onward connections to destinations across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas.
According to the schedule released by the airline on Thursday, Flight ET945 will depart Addis Ababa at 9:30 a.m. and arrive in Port Harcourt at 12:25 p.m. The return service will leave Port Harcourt at 1:10 p.m. and arrive in Addis Ababa at 8:30 p.m.
The route is expected to deepen international air connectivity for Port Harcourt, one of Nigeria’s major commercial centres and a strategic base for the country’s oil and gas industry.
For business travellers, the service creates another international connection from the Niger Delta through Addis Ababa, potentially reducing dependence on connections through Lagos or Abuja for some journeys.
Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer, Mesfin Tasew, said the addition of Port Harcourt reflected the carrier’s continued expansion in Nigeria and its strategy of using improved air connectivity to support trade, tourism and business activity.
“We are pleased to further strengthen our presence in Nigeria with the addition of Port Harcourt, our fifth destination in the country,” Tasew said.
The airline currently operates passenger services to Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Enugu. Port Harcourt will therefore increase its Nigerian passenger destinations to five when operations commence in December.
The expansion is particularly significant for Rivers State and the wider Niger Delta, where Port Harcourt serves as an operational centre for international and domestic companies involved in petroleum, gas, marine services, engineering and other supporting industries.
Connecting the city with Addis Ababa also gives passengers access to Ethiopian Airlines’ broader African and intercontinental network without first travelling to another Nigerian airport.
Nigeria is one of Ethiopian Airlines’ longest-standing markets on the continent. The carrier began operating to the country in 1960 and has progressively expanded its footprint as passenger and commercial links between Nigeria, Ethiopia and other international markets developed.
The Port Harcourt expansion also fits Ethiopian Airlines’ wider strategy of using Addis Ababa as a connecting hub between African cities and major international markets.
The carrier operates a fleet that includes Boeing 737, 777 and 787 aircraft, Airbus A350 aircraft and De Havilland Q400s, while pursuing a multi-hub African strategy through partnerships and affiliated airlines in countries including Togo, Malawi, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
For Nigeria, the additional route broadens international travel options from outside Lagos and Abuja and strengthens Port Harcourt’s direct access to a major African aviation hub.
Passengers seeking schedules or bookings can use the official Ethiopian Airlines Nigeria website
