Nigerian carrier ValueJet on Wednesday, August 5, took delivery of its first Boeing 737NG aircraft with registration number 5N-CFZ, marking the start of a planned fleet expansion that will see three Boeing 737NG aircraft join the airline over the coming months as it enters its next phase of growth across Nigeria, West Africa and beyond.

The aircraft marks ValueJet’s first move into narrow-body operations after four years of building its network with CRJ regional jets. Alongside providing significantly more seats, the Boeing 737NG aircraft offers greater range and increased cargo capacity, giving the airline more flexibility to serve high-demand routes and support future expansion.

Since commencing operations, ValueJet has grown its network across Nigeria and West Africa, serving Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Calabar, Kano, Jos, Benin City, Accra, Banjul, Cotonou and Malabo. The airline expanded its regional footprint earlier this year with the launch of daily Lagos-Accra services in March, followed by direct Accra-Banjul flights in May, strengthening connectivity within West Africa.

The larger aircraft will allow ValueJet to deploy more seats on its busiest domestic routes, including Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, while giving the airline greater flexibility to expand its regional operations over time.

Speaking on the development, ValueJet Managing Director, Omololu Majekodunmi, described the aircraft’s arrival as the beginning of a new chapter for the airline.

“The arrival of our first Boeing 737NG aircraft is an important milestone for ValueJet and the beginning of a new phase for the airline. It strengthens our ability to serve more passengers, accommodate more cargo and support our expansion across Nigeria and West Africa.

“Our focus has always been to build a safe, reliable and customer-focused airline. As we grow our fleet, we are making the necessary investments in our people, technical capability and operations to support that growth responsibly.”

Majekodunmi said the transition to Boeing aircraft is being supported by continued investment in manpower development and technical capability to ensure the airline is fully prepared for the next stage of its operations.

The aircraft is expected to enter commercial service in September, with the remaining two Boeing 737NG aircrafts joining the fleet in phases over the coming months to provide additional capacity across existing routes and support ValueJet’s planned expansion into Libreville, Abidjan and other destinations across Anglophone and Francophone Africa.