SolitAir expands its African cargo network to Somaliland and Nigeria, adding Hargeisa and Port Harcourt and strengthening Gulf trade connections
HARGEISA, Somaliland — UAE-based cargo carrier SolitAir has expanded its African network to Somaliland and Nigeria, adding Hargeisa and Port Harcourt as new destinations in a move that could deepen air-freight links between the Gulf and two markets with distinct but growing cargo demands.
The airline said it will begin serving Egal International Airport in Hargeisa and Port Harcourt International Airport in Nigeria, giving SolitAir its first direct presence in both markets.
The additions bring the carrier’s African network to 20 destinations across 16 countries, while its global network now spans more than 60 destinations in more than 35 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe.
For Somaliland, the new service provides an additional international air-cargo connection at a time when Hargeisa is seeking to strengthen its position as a commercial gateway in the Horn of Africa.
SolitAir said the expansion is being driven primarily by customer demand and emerging trade flows rather than by a strategy of simply adding destinations.
“Nigeria and Somaliland are important additions to our African network, giving us an opportunity to strengthen connections between the Gulf and these markets,” Hamdi Osman, founder and chief executive of SolitAir, said.
“As we continue to expand, we’re focused on identifying destinations where there is clear demand for reliable air cargo services and where we can add value to existing trade flows,” Osman said.
A new link for Somaliland cargo
The Hargeisa route is particularly significant for Somaliland because the territory’s economy includes substantial livestock exports as well as agricultural and other time-sensitive commodities for which dependable freight connections can be important.
Egal International Airport serves Hargeisa, Somaliland’s commercial and administrative center, and the new SolitAir service adds another cargo operator to the airport’s international connectivity.
The airline’s expansion also comes as businesses across the Horn of Africa increasingly look toward Gulf markets for trade, logistics and investment connections.
SolitAir described Hargeisa as an example of the type of underserved market it is targeting as it builds its network.
“These routes were 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.”
That approach puts commercial demand at the center of the carrier’s expansion strategy, with the new destinations intended to complement rather than merely duplicate existing freight links.
Port Harcourt brings Nigeria’s energy economy into the network
In Nigeria, SolitAir’s arrival in Port Harcourt gives the carrier access to one of the country’s most important oil and gas centers.
Port Harcourt International Airport serves the wider Rivers State region, where the energy sector generates significant demand for the movement of equipment, industrial supplies and other time-sensitive cargo.
The two additions therefore serve different economic functions: Port Harcourt is closely tied to Nigeria’s energy economy, while Hargeisa offers access to a market whose export profile includes livestock and agricultural products.
Together, the destinations broaden SolitAir’s reach across sub-Saharan Africa while reinforcing its stated strategy of following established and emerging trade flows.
Expansion from Dubai
SolitAir operates from Dubai World Central, also known as Al Maktoum International Airport, where its cargo hub became operational in October 2024.
The carrier currently operates seven Boeing 737-800BCF freighters, each capable of carrying about 20 tonnes of cargo.
The airline is pursuing an aggressive growth strategy, with a target of reaching 20 aircraft by the end of 2027.
The planned fleet expansion could give SolitAir greater capacity to connect secondary African markets with the Gulf, particularly as demand grows for reliable, time-sensitive freight services.
For Hargeisa, the new connection is another indication of the airport’s potential role in regional trade. More broadly, it places Somaliland within an expanding commercial air-cargo network linking the Horn of Africa with one of the world’s major logistics centers in the United Arab Emirates.
The significance of the move may ultimately depend less on the number of destinations added than on whether the new routes can translate customer demand into sustained cargo volumes.
For SolitAir, however, the strategy is clear: build its network around markets where companies need goods moved reliably — and where existing freight capacity leaves room for another connection.
“We’re focused on identifying destinations where there is clear demand for reliable air cargo services,” Osman said, “and where we can add value to existing trade flows.”
