Dubai-based cargo carrier SolitAir has expanded its African network with the addition of Port Harcourt in Nigeria and Hargeisa in Somaliland, taking its footprint to 20 destinations across 16 African countries.
The new markets are served through Port Harcourt International Airport (PHC) and Egal International Airport (HGA) in Hargeisa, strengthening SolitAir’s links between the Gulf and African markets where the carrier sees growing demand for dedicated cargo capacity.
The expansion also marks SolitAir’s first direct presence in Nigeria and Somaliland and builds on its existing East African operations through Nairobi.
New Cargo Links To Nigeria And Somaliland
Port Harcourt is an important logistics gateway for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry and represents a significant source of industrial and project-related cargo demand.
Hargeisa, meanwhile, provides access to a commercial region where exports including livestock and time-sensitive agricultural products depend on reliable air freight connectivity.
SolitAir Founder and Chief Executive Hamdi Osman said the two destinations had been selected in response to customer requirements and emerging trade flows.
“Nigeria and Somaliland are important additions to our African network, giving us an opportunity to strengthen connections between the Gulf and these markets,” Osman said.
He added that the carrier was focusing its network development on destinations where there is clear demand for dependable cargo services and where additional air freight capacity can support existing trade flows.
Port Harcourt Operation Tests Demand
SolitAir has already completed an initial cargo operation to Port Harcourt, carrying approximately 20 tonnes of general cargo aboard a Boeing 737-800BCF freighter.
The operation was conducted as a one-off service tailored to immediate customer requirements, routing through Dubai World Central, Nairobi, Port Harcourt and Kuwait before returning to Dubai. The service leveraged SolitAir’s Nairobi hub as part of its African network.
The carrier has indicated that frequencies can be increased and potentially developed into regular services as market demand grows.
“This route was built around real customer demand,” Osman said. “Port Harcourt and Hargeisa are good examples of how we’re developing the network – by looking at where our partners need to move cargo and building connections that support those trade flows.”
African Network Continues To Grow
The additions take SolitAir’s African network to 20 destinations in 16 countries, while its overall network now covers more than 60 destinations across more than 35 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe.
The carrier has continued to expand its presence across Africa, with existing operations including Conakry and Accra. It is also planning further expansion into Lagos, Nigeria, and Freetown, Sierra Leone, as it develops its West African network.
The growth forms part of SolitAir’s wider strategy of using dedicated freighter capacity to serve middle-mile cargo flows between major logistics hubs and markets where direct air freight options remain limited.
Seven-Freighter Fleet
SolitAir currently operates seven Boeing 737-800BCF freighters, each with a cargo capacity of approximately 20 tonnes.
The carrier operates from its hub at Dubai World Central (DWC), Al Maktoum International Airport, which has served as its principal operating base since October 2024. SolitAir is targeting a fleet of 20 aircraft by the end of 2027as it expands its international cargo network.
The latest African additions reinforce the carrier’s focus on targeted network development, with route decisions increasingly linked to customer demand and specific regional trade flows.
For freight forwarders and shippers, the expansion provides additional dedicated freighter capacity connecting Gulf markets with West and East Africa, particularly for time-sensitive and specialised cargo.
