Wakanow, Nigeria’s leading travel tech firm, has made history as the first online travel agency (OTA) in the country to integrate directly with British Airways and Emirates through the New Distribution Capability (NDC) platform. This bold move grants travelers direct access to airline services previously limited to official airline sites—bringing global airline benefits home to Africa.
The NDC-powered booking is now live across Wakanow’s Nigeria, Ghana, and UAE storefronts. With it, travelers can access real-time flight inventory, select seats, upgrade cabins, and manage baggage—all from Wakanow’s platform.
The milestone also earned Wakanow the Agency of the Year, Platinum Category 2024 award from Air France, KLM, and Delta Airlines, recognizing excellence in sales, innovation, and customer service.
For African travelers—especially Nigerians navigating global mobility challenges—this is more than just a tech upgrade. It levels the playing field.
- Black and African travelers often face limited access to flight personalization due to barriers in booking platforms, tech disparities, and opaque third-party systems. Wakanow’s NDC integration ensures they get the same premium services—like priority seating or tailored offers—as travelers elsewhere.
- African diaspora communities booking travel to and from the continent gain real-time pricing and improved transparency. This helps families, professionals, and students avoid last-minute ticket shocks and booking errors.
- Discrimination in travel systems—where African customers sometimes receive slower service or higher pricing through third-party sellers—can be mitigated through direct airline integrations.
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As Wakanow’s CEO, Adenike Macaulay, states, the integration is “a game-changer” not just for Wakanow, but for the entire travel ecosystem in Africa. “We are ensuring Nigerian travellers are not left behind.”
This isn’t just a story about new tech. It’s about autonomy, dignity, and visibility for African and Black travelers in global aviation systems that historically prioritize Western consumers.
By pioneering this model, Wakanow reclaims agency for African travelers, offering seamless, premium, and transparent service on par with global standards. For Black travelers worldwide—especially those who regularly fly to or from the continent—this is an invitation to trust and invest in a system designed for them.
This achievement pushes back against the marginalization of African agencies in global travel networks. Instead of playing catch-up, Wakanow is setting the pace.
