L-R Ifeyinwa Ozioko, VP Wakanow Nigeria, John Opara, General Manager Sales, Nigeria & Niger, Lufthansa, Adenike Macauly, CEO, Wakanow Nigeria and North Africa, Gbolahan Salami, SVP Product and Marketing
The milestone gives customers access to richer airline content, real-time fares, greater personalization and a faster booking experience.
Lagos, Nigeria – Wakanow, Africa’s leading travel technology company, has become the first travel company on the continent to offer Lufthansa Group’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) content through a direct API integration, marking a major milestone in the evolution of airline retailing across Africa.
The achievement reinforces Wakanow’s position at the forefront of travel technology by giving customers direct access to Lufthansa Group’s rich retail content, including real-time pricing and availability, enhanced fare options and ancillary products, through a faster and more seamless booking experience.
Built on the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) NDC standard, the integration represents another step in Wakanow’s strategy to modernize travel distribution in Africa and bring global retailing capabilities closer to African travellers.
“This milestone is about much more than technology; it reflects the future of travel retail in Africa,” said Adenike Macaulay, CEO, Wakanow Nigeria and North Africa. “Our investment in modern distribution capabilities ensures our customers enjoy richer content, greater transparency and a more personalized booking experience. As airlines continue to evolve their retail strategies, Wakanow is committed to remaining at the forefront of that transformation.”
The Lufthansa Group integration forms part of Wakanow’s broader investment in next-generation airline connectivity. Over the past few years, the company has continued to expand its portfolio of direct NDC integrations with leading international airlines, with additional partnerships already in development. This long-term strategy is designed to reduce dependence on legacy distribution channels while delivering greater value to both travellers and airline partners.
Bayo Adedeji, Group CEO of Wakanow, said the achievement reflects years of deliberate investment in technology and strategic partnerships.
“Our ambition has always been to build Africa’s most advanced travel technology platform. This integration is another important milestone in that journey and reinforces our commitment to delivering global innovation with an African perspective.”
For customers, the benefits are immediate. Direct access to Lufthansa Group’s NDC content means faster searches, richer fare and product information, more dynamic offers, improved booking accuracy and a more personalized shopping experience. As Lufthansa Group continues to enhance its retail capabilities, Wakanow customers will also gain quicker access to future innovations and new products.
Commenting on the milestone, René Koinzack, Senior Director Sales for Southern & East Africa, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea at Lufthansa Group said:
“Congratulations to Wakanow on reaching this important milestone! As Lufthansa Group continues to drive innovation in airline retailing, strong and innovative partners are key to transforming airline retailing for the future. Wakanow’s commitment to digital innovation and customer-centric solutions is helping to bring modern airline retailing to more travelers across Nigeria and beyond. This achievement demonstrates the power of partnership in bringing the future of airline retailing to Africa. We are proud to celebrate this significant milestone with a strong partner like Wakanow and remain committed to accelerating the next phase of NDC-driven growth in close partnership with our travel trade partners.”
John Opara, General Manager, Sales for Nigeria and Niger republic at Lufthansa Group, added:
“Nigeria remains a strategically important market for Lufthansa Group, and we are proud to celebrate this milestone with Wakanow. It is a testament to what can be achieved through strong collaboration, shared ambition and a focus on delivering greater value for customers in terms of real live access to a wide variety of our products and ancillaries.”
This milestone further strengthens the longstanding partnership between Lufthansa Group and Wakanow while underscoring both organisations’ shared commitment to innovation, customer experience and the continued digital transformation of travel across Africa.
