Overland Airways has resumed scheduled commercial flights to Warri’s Osubi Airport, rekindling vital air links between Delta State and Nigeria’s key economic hubs—Lagos and Abuja. The airline, one of the country’s longest-serving and most trusted domestic carriers, relaunched services on May 20, 2025, using its state-of-the-art Embraer E175 jet aircraft.
The resumed routes—Warri-Lagos-Warri and Warri-Abuja-Warri—will operate three times weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Departures from Lagos to Warri are scheduled for 8:15 a.m., while return flights leave Warri for Lagos at 12:30 p.m. Warri-Abuja flights will depart at 9:25 a.m., with the Abuja-Warri leg departing at 11:05 a.m.
At the inaugural flight event in Warri, Overland Airways’ Chief Operating Officer, Aderonke Emmanuel-James, said the return to Warri was in response to strong customer demand for safe, convenient, and reliable air travel options connecting the oil-rich city to the rest of the country. She emphasized the economic and social significance of the route, particularly for business and community connectivity across the North and Southwest regions.
“This service will strengthen economic ties and foster mobility for businesspeople, residents, and visitors. We’re back with our brand-new Embraer E175, offering both Premium and Economy cabins and delivering a world-class in-flight experience,” she noted. “Our plan is to scale operations to daily flights in the coming weeks as demand grows.”
The relaunch also marks Overland’s continued expansion of its domestic route network, which recently saw renewed services to Jalingo, Taraba State, and new operations into Minna, Niger State.
Osubi Airport’s manager, Winston Egwuatu, expressed delight at Overland’s return, particularly as the airport recently lost another airline due to aircraft size limitations caused by the runway’s length. The airport’s current runway, though 2.1 kilometres long, has a usable landing space of just 1.8 kilometres—limiting access to airlines operating larger aircraft.
Egwuatu highlighted that discussions are already underway with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to expand the runway and accommodate more aircraft types. He pledged the airport’s full support for Overland’s seamless operations and reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining high safety and infrastructure standards.
Overland Airways, which transitioned from an all-turboprop fleet to a mixed fleet, continues to earn high marks for safety and reliability. In October 2024, it renewed its IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification for the fifth consecutive time—reinforcing its reputation as one of Africa’s safest carriers.
With this strategic return to Warri, Overland is not just resuming a route—it is reestablishing a bridge of economic growth, mobility, and national connectivity.
