Ahead of next week’s resumption of Emirate Airlines’ flight operations to Nigeria, the Federal Government has secured a reciprocal rights agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government.
The agreement means Nigerian airlines will soon commence direct flight operations to the Gulf State.
The agreement was signed when the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, led a high-level Nigerian delegation to UAE on Friday to finalise negotiations ahead of the resumption of Emirates Airlines’ operations in Nigeria.
The meeting also set the foundation for a new Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between both nations to ensure stronger and mutually beneficial aviation ties.
The minister confirmed the development in a post on his X platform on Friday evening.
He wrote: “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, we firmly agreed on the reciprocal rights our local airlines will also have to begin flight operations to the UAE.”
The new BASA, which was a focal point of the talks, is designed to enhance collaboration between the two countries and establish guidelines for their evolving relationship in the aviation sector.
Keyamo added that the negotiations yielded a significant agreement on reciprocal rights, ensuring that Nigerian airlines would soon have the opportunity to commence direct flight operations to the UAE.
“This marks a historic development for Nigeria’s aviation industry, expanding international connectivity and offering more options to travellers between the two nations,” he added.
Emirates Airlines announced the resumption of flights in Nigeria on May 16, more than one year after it suspended operations over its inability to repatriate funds trapped in the country.
By: Babajide Okeowo
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