Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), announced on Friday that he has successfully finalized negotiations with Emirates Airlines to resume flights in Nigeria.
Specifically, he disclosed that Emirates Airlines would begin flight operations in Nigeria on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.
Keyamo had led a delegation to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a meeting with the country’s aviation authorities, paving the way for Emirates Airlines’ return to Nigerian airspace.
The meeting, which was held on Friday morning, also set the foundation for a new Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between both nations to ensure stronger and mutually beneficial aviation ties, Keyamo said in a statement posted on his official X account.
He said: “Ahead of the resumption of Emirates flights to Nigeria next week Tuesday, I was in the UAE earlier today, together with my technical team, for the negotiation of a new Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between both countries to guide our new relationship henceforth.
“Today (Friday), we firmly agreed on the reciprocal rights our local airlines will also have to begin flight operations to the UAE.”
This development follows weeks of diplomatic and technical consultations aimed at restoring direct air travel between Nigeria and the UAE.
Persecondnews recalls that in November 2022, Emirates Airlines suspended flights to Nigeria over an inability to repatriate its $85 million revenue trapped in the country, a development that affected diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.
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