ABUJA- The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced that local airlines will soon launch direct flights to America and South America, similar to Air Peace’s (P4) Nigeria-United Kingdom route.
This will mark the first-ever direct flights between Nigeria and South America.
Photo: Vanguard NewsNigeria Eyes Flights to America
Keyamo shared this information during an interview with Otega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu, which was featured on the official YouTube page of the State House of Nigeria. The update follows Air Peace’s approval to operate the Lagos-Gatwick route.
He highlighted that the expansion of local airlines’ routes to the United States and South America is part of the federal government’s strategy to enhance the competitiveness of Nigerian private airlines on international routes, traditionally dominated by foreign carriers, to reduce airfare prices.
We have other routes coming up. We are looking at the American route. We are looking at the South American route. They are not even flying to South Africa now. We are working on starting that route to help the Nigerian flying public and reduce prices.”
Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development of Nigeria
Keyamo highlighted that, as the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, he is enforcing the Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASAs) with other nations.
He emphasized that local airlines servicing these routes are being presented as flag carriers, representing Nigeria, not just as private businesses.
Photo: By Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia – Air Peace, 5N-BQO, Boeing 737-36N, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50813113Preparation for Lease Agreements
Keyamo also highlighted that to boost the competitiveness of local airlines vis-à-vis foreign carriers, the federal government has initiated the process of amending local laws to incentivize aircraft lessors to lease their assets to Nigerian operators.
He mentioned ongoing discussions with the Attorney General of the Federation, the Chief Justice of the Federal High Court, and Justices of the Supreme Court to amend laws that currently allow defaulting private airlines to obtain court injunctions to ground aircraft in case of non-compliance.
Additionally, Keyamo discussed the government’s efforts to persuade the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) to reconsider its policy mandating all insurance to be handled by local firms, as these may lack the capacity to manage the substantial risks associated with wide-body aircraft.
He argued that local insurers would need reinsurance to manage these risks, which could increase operational costs for local airlines, contradicting the federal government’s goal of significantly reducing air transportation expenses.
The Aviation Minister emphasized that once these reforms are enacted, local airlines will be better positioned to thrive on international routes.
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