Air Peace, Nigeria's largest carrier by fleet size, has taken delivery of its first factory-new Embraer E175 aircraft, reinforcing the airline's strategy to deepen regional connectivity across West and Central Africa. The 88-seater jet, delivered from Embraer's factory in São José dos Campos, Brazil, will carry the Nigerian registration 5N-CGH.
Air Peace originally ordered five E175s in September 2023 with options for five more, before converting three of those orders to the larger E195-E2 in 2025. The carrier retained two E175s on its backlog, with deliveries initially scheduled to begin in 2024 before slipping to mid-2026. Air Peace Chairman and CEO Allen Onyema described the delivery as a "major milestone" in the airline's growth, saying the aircraft would increase operational flexibility as the carrier strengthens its leadership position in West and Central Africa.
Regional Network Implications
The E175 complements Air Peace's existing fleet of E195-E2 and ERJ145 regional jets, giving the airline a wider range of aircraft sizes to match capacity to demand on thinner regional routes. According to Aviation Week, the added flexibility is expected to let Air Peace increase flight frequencies on key domestic routes while launching services to four additional African cities, though the airline has not yet named the specific destinations.
Part of a Broader Fleet Push
The E175 delivery is one piece of a wider fleet expansion effort by Air Peace through 2026, which has also included additional Boeing 737-800 Next Generation deliveries and a fourth Boeing 777 for long-haul international operations. Nigerian carriers' combined fleet growth this year has been cited by industry data providers as a key driver behind Nigeria's rise to become Africa's fastest-growing aviation market by scheduled seat capacity.