Nigeria and Canada Strengthen Aviation Partnership

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, reaffirmed the Federal Government of Nigeria's commitment to enhancing aviation cooperation with Canada to establish direct air connectivity. This assurance was made during a courtesy visit from David Sproule, Chargé d’Affaires of the High Commission of Canada to Nigeria, in Abuja.

The meeting focused on expanding bilateral air services, with a high-level Canadian delegation expected to visit Nigeria in the first week of August to discuss the proposed Air Services Agreement. Sproule raised the need for incorporating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to facilitate the processing and removal of Nigerian nationals not legally entitled to remain in Canada, which he indicated could be a barrier to direct flight operations.

Keyamo expressed enthusiasm for launching direct flights, citing high demand from Nigerians who currently transit through Europe or the United States. He acknowledged Canada's concerns regarding immigration issues, stating that such matters fall outside the Ministry's responsibilities and would require collaboration with the Ministry of Interior.