Nigeria’s longest serving privately-owned domestic airline, Overland Airways is poised for the future as it is positioning for a new phase in its evolution. Overland Airways which began operations in 2002 and has consistently provided services to Nigerians with a fleet of modern and efficient turboprop aircraft had commenced operations with the objective of increasing the prosperity of the Nigerian hinterland by providing air services to communities which hitherto had no access to air transport and, in the process, facilitated interactions amongst businesses, academia, peoples and communities, governments, tourists and travellers visiting friends and family. In doing this, Overland Airways revived many of the so-called unviable airports in Nigeria.
In line with its organic evolution and niche service offering, the airline started operations with a fleet of Beechcraft 1900D aircraft seating 17 passengers and went on to later expand to a fleet of ATR 42s and ATR 72s noted for their superior economics and performance in regional markets.
The choice of these aircraft was informed by Overland Airways professional assessment of the needs of its passengers and the fleet suitability to its operational communities at the inception. Having met the objectives of the earlier phases of its development, the airline has found it fitting to embark on its new phase of development by receiving “the first of three new E175 E-Jets” it had ordered at the Dubai Airshow in 2021. The aircraft was delivered to the airline mid-September 2023. The twenty-year old West African carrier, an affiliate of the Landover Aviation Services Company, also holds options for three additional aircraft according to the aircraft manufacturer, Embraer.
The arrival of the brand new “dual-class 88-seat E175s (is) to increase capacity on domestic routes and expand services to regional cities. The new aircraft will supplement the airline’s current all-turboprop fleet and, “expand our reach and network,” according to Overland Airways Managing Director Capt. Edward Boyo. “Overland has an ecosystem of aviation excellence crowned with its E175 fleet. With Embraer, we now have very flexible options to grow our fleet and capacity to meet all future demand.”
“The delivery of Overland’s first new E175 marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for the airline and Embraer. Nigeria represents one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world; Overland and Embraer are committed to the support of its continued success with a product line perfectly suited to build connectivity across West Africa”, said Stephan Hannemann, Head of Africa & Middle East Region, Commercial Aviation.
The entry into service of the E-175 aircraft ties with other innovations of the airline. Award-winning “Overland is aggressively ramping up its presence in Nigeria. It has built a new corporate office and hangar facilities in Lagos. The airline is an Approved Maintenance Organization under the certification of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.”
With the new Embraer 175 jet aircraft, Capt. Boyo assured Overland Airways passengers of exciting new level of comfort and customer service, as well as foray into new markets in West and Central Africa.