Ibom Air has taken delivery of its third Airbus A220-300, registered 5N-CDC, following a Transfer of Title ceremony at Airbus's final assembly facility in Mirabel, Canada. The aircraft brings the Akwa Ibom State-owned carrier's fleet to ten, made up of seven Mitsubishi Heavy Industries CRJ900 regional jets and three A220-300s.

"We are most delighted to receive the third A220-300 into our growing, modern fleet," the airline's Managing Director and CEO, George Uriesi, said after the handover. "We thank our shareholder, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, without whose strong support this would not have been possible."

Ending a Three-Year Wait

The delivery is the second aircraft to arrive under Ibom Air's firm order for ten A220-300s placed at the 2021 Dubai Airshow, and comes almost three years after the airline received its first A220 in 2023 and became the first Nigerian operator of the type. The gap between deliveries had cast uncertainty over the pace of the airline's fleet modernisation plans, according to industry trackers, before Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno led a delegation to Mirabel in mid-August for the aircraft's pre-delivery inspection.

A statement from the airline said the new aircraft further lowers the fleet's overall age, reinforcing Ibom Air's position as operating one of the youngest and most modern fleets in Nigeria. The airline's first two A220s are separately undergoing scheduled comprehensive checks and are expected to return to service by the end of September 2026.

Supporting Regional Ambitions

Ibom Air, wholly owned by the Akwa Ibom State Government, has said the acquisition reflects the state's continued investment beyond fleet expansion into operational efficiency and network growth. The airline expanded into scheduled international service for the first time in June 2026, connecting its Uyo base to Accra, Ghana, and has said it is working toward an all-A220 fleet as it phases out its CRJ900s over time.

Chief Operating Officer George Uriesi has previously said the airline's average load factor sits close to 90 percent, with its smaller CRJ900s increasingly unable to meet demand on its busiest routes — a gap the continued A220 deliveries are intended to close as Ibom Air pushes toward further regional expansion from Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo.