The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has granted approval to Nigeria’s carrier, Air Peace Airline, to operate direct flights in and out of Dubai, according to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
The announcement was made at the conclusion of the 2023 Dubai Airshow, where Keyamo explored pavilions of leading aviation and aerospace industries to assess technologies aligning with his Five Point Agenda for Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Keyamo revealed that Emirates Airlines, which had ceased operations in Nigeria due to challenges in repatriating earned dollars, expressed readiness to resume direct flights to Nigeria.
Following discussions with airline officials during the Dubai Airshow, the management of Emirates Airlines assured Keyamo that the resumption of flights would commence soon.
The Head of Press and Public Affairs in the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Odutayo Oluseyi, stated, “Using the opportunity of the Airshow, the Honourable Minister on the sidelines met with officials of Emirates Airline to further discuss the resumption of flights by the Airline to Nigeria, which has yielded positive results as the management has given assurance that the resumption of the flight would commence very soon.”
Additionally, Keyamo engaged with the management of the Airline Executive, led by CEO Dana Hatcic, a company expressing interest in establishing an MRO facility in Nigeria.
The minister also expressed plans for a maiden edition of the Nigeria Air Show in November 2024, making Nigeria the first African country to organize such an event.
During the Dubai Airshow, Keyamo explored pavilions of global aviation and aerospace industries to inspect modern technologies aligning with his Five-Point agenda, focusing on infrastructure improvement and the promotion of innovation and creativity in cutting-edge aviation technologies.
The Dubai Airshow, held from November 13 to 17, attracted participants and specialists from leading aviation and aerospace industries worldwide.