Nigeria and Canada will resume negotiations on establishing direct flight services between both countries on August 6, as both governments move closer to concluding discussions on a long-awaited bilateral air transport arrangement.
Gatekeepers News reports that the talks follow a high-level meeting between the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and Canada’s Chargé d’Affaires to Nigeria, David Sproule, in Abuja.
The discussions focused on expanding bilateral air services and creating the framework required to launch direct commercial flights between Nigeria and Canada. According to the Canadian envoy, a delegation from Canada is expected in Nigeria during the first week of August to continue negotiations on the proposed Air Services Agreement and other outstanding issues. Both sides agreed to reconvene on August 6 to address the remaining concerns.
One of the major issues raised by the Canadian side was the need for a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to streamline the processing and repatriation of Nigerian nationals who do not have legal status in Canada. Canadian officials said such a framework would strengthen cooperation on immigration matters and help remove one of the key obstacles to approving direct flight operations between the two countries.
Responding, Keyamo welcomed the prospect of direct flights, noting that demand for a non-stop Nigeria-Canada route has remained high for years, with thousands of travellers currently transiting through Europe or the United States due to the absence of direct connections. He, however, explained that immigration matters fall outside the mandate of the Ministry of Aviation and would require collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and other relevant agencies.
The minister assured the Canadian delegation that the Federal Government would facilitate the required inter-ministerial engagements to move the process forward. Although he will be unavailable for the August 6 meeting due to prior official commitments, Keyamo said senior ministry officials would represent Nigeria and continue negotiations.
The renewed talks build on earlier efforts by both countries to deepen aviation ties, including the signing of a code-sharing agreement in 2025, which allows airlines from Nigeria and Canada to market seats on each other’s flights as both nations work towards launching direct air services.
