Emirates Airline has revealed its intentions to initiate direct flights to Nigeria in the coming months. This announcement was made during the 2023 Dubai Airshow, attended by Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace, Mr. Festus Keyamo.
The Ministry’s Head Press, Odutayo Oluseyi, confirmed the disclosure in a statement released over the weekend in Abuja. According to the statement, the Emirates Airline confirmed its preparedness to launch direct flights, indicating a positive development in the aviation sector between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In addition to Emirates’ announcement, the statement highlighted that the UAE government has granted approval for Nigeria’s carrier, Air Peace Airline, to operate direct flights to and from the primary airport in Dubai.
During his visit to the 2023 Dubai Airshow, Minister Festus Keyamo engaged with Airline Executive’s management, led by CEO Dana Hatcic. Airline Executive expressed interest in establishing a Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) facility in Nigeria.
The Minister also mentioned the possibility of hosting the inaugural Nigeria Air Show in November 2024, making Nigeria the first African country to organize such an event.
Furthermore, Minister Keyamo toured the pavilions of leading global aviation and aerospace industries to explore cutting-edge technologies that could contribute to his 5-Point Agenda for the Nigerian aviation industry. The agenda focuses on infrastructure improvement, innovation promotion, and fostering creativity in civil aviation-related technologies.
The Dubai Airshow, which took place from November 13th to November 17th, 2023, attracted a significant number of participants from across the globe, including specialists from the aviation and aerospace industries.
