Uganda Airlines is banking on new West African routes, rising cargo demand and a larger fleet to lift annual revenue to between $400 million and $500 million by 2030.
Chief Executive Officer Girma Wake said the national carrier aims to grow passenger numbers by 12 to 15 per cent each year, break even by 2031 and turn a profit thereafter.
Speaking to UBC in Accra after the launch of commercial flights to Ghana, Wake outlined plans to attract more connecting passengers and open new markets for Ugandan exports.
The airline operates four weekly flights along the Entebbe–Lagos–Accra route. It plans to build demand before introducing separate services to the two West African capitals.
That could happen within a year to 18 months, depending on passenger numbers. The carrier would then increase flights towards daily services.
However, Uganda Airlines needs Nigeria’s approval to carry passengers between Lagos and Accra. Ghana has already granted permission.
“From Accra, they allowed us to carry passengers to Lagos or from Lagos to Accra. Accra has no problem. They granted us. Nigeria refused. Now we are negotiating with Nigerians,” Wake said.
Such permission, known as fifth-freedom rights, allows an airline to carry passengers between two foreign countries on a service linked to its home country.
Wake said Nigeria had cited Uganda’s non-participation in the Single African Air Transport Market as a reason for withholding approval. The arrangement seeks to ease access to aviation markets across participating African countries.
A similar obstacle has affected proposed passenger services between Harare and Johannesburg. Zimbabwe approved the arrangement, but South Africa did not, he said.
The airline is working with government ministries to address the restrictions.
Cargo offers another source of growth. Uganda Airlines carries between two and three tonnes of dairy products and meat on each Lagos flight. Management expects Ghana to provide another outlet for Ugandan producers.
Wake said cargo demand on the West African corridor could reach 15 to 20 tonnes a day within a year, supporting the case for a dedicated freight aircraft.
The London service already carries between 17 and 20 tonnes per flight. Dubai also provides a market for agricultural exports.
To support longer routes, the carrier plans to add African destinations that can bring connecting passengers through Entebbe. Kigali is among the proposed additions.
Aircraft availability will determine the pace of expansion. Management plans to extend the lease of the Boeing 737 used for the Accra launch from November 10 until March. It also expects another leased aircraft from Europe in November.
Wake said the second Airbus A330 should return to service by March, creating room for further expansion.
The recovery plan also includes a passenger lounge, catering facilities, ground handling services and a maintenance hangar. These investments would reduce spending on outside providers and allow the airline to serve other operators.
Supplier debts remain a challenge. Wake acknowledged delayed payments for fuel, aircraft parts and engine maintenance. Three engines were undergoing maintenance in Singapore at the time of the interview.
He said government support had helped cut outstanding obligations from about $70 million–$80 million to roughly $30 million.
Tourism will also shape future routes, with Germany and France among the potential markets. The airline is discussing better connections from Entebbe to Uganda’s tourist attractions.
Alongside network growth, Uganda Airlines plans to recruit and train more Ugandan graduates, including pilots, to build the workforce needed for expansion.
