FG in talks with Spain to resume direct flights to Nigeria
The Federal Government of Nigeria has initiated discussions with the Spanish Government to reinstate direct flights between Nigeria and Spain and revive the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between the two nations.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on his official X account on Sunday.
Keyamo revealed that he met with Spain’s Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Mr. Oscar Puente, in Madrid last week to discuss these plans.
Accompanying Keyamo at the meeting were Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation; Hon. Abdullahi Idris Garba, Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation; and Umar Ahmed Farouk, Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.
“Earlier in the week, I met with my counterpart in Spain, the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility of Spain, Mr. Oscar Puente, in Madrid. High on the agenda of our discussions was the revival of our BASA with Spain and the resumption of direct flights between Nigeria and Spain,” Keyamo posted.
This development follows closely on the heels of a previous announcement by Keyamo that Nigerian airlines will soon commence direct flights to the United States and South America, marking the first-ever direct flights between Nigeria and South America.
Background
Over recent months, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development has been actively working to reactivate dormant flight routes and establish new direct connections for Nigeria.
The push to revive the BASA with Spain is part of a broader effort to enhance Nigeria’s global aviation links.
Last month, Keyamo announced plans for local airlines to launch direct flights to America and South America, emphasizing that these airlines would serve as Nigeria’s flag carriers.
This initiative came after President Bola Tinubu and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva discussed the potential for direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil during a meeting in February 2024 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
During the meeting, President Lula da Silva emphasized the necessity for formal discussions to address the lack of direct flights between Lagos and Sao Paulo, highlighting the significant opportunities for aviation collaboration between Nigeria and Brazil.
In addition, in May 2024, Keyamo announced the resumption of cargo flight operations between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia after years of inactivity, with both nations appointing focal persons to finalize the details.
