Emirates Airline Makes Triumphant Return to Nigeria After Two-Year Absence
Emirates Airline has finally returned to Nigeria after a two-year hiatus, bringing with it a renewed commitment to promoting healthy competition in the country’s aviation industry. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, was on hand to welcome the airline’s return, and shared his vision for a brighter future for Nigerian airlines.
According to Keyamo, the return of Emirates to Nigeria is a major win for the country’s indigenous carriers. “Local carriers now have the opportunity to fly into any destination in the UAE,” he explained. “This will ensure a healthy competition, leading to competitive pricing for the benefit of the Nigerian people.”
The minister was confident that the airline’s return would have a positive impact on the country’s economy. “Dubai is a major hub of the world, linking virtually every country,” he pointed out. “For our airlines too, we also secured some kind of code sharing agreement. We told them that if you want to code share, our airlines will have the right of first refusal.”
Keyamo also praised the support of President Bola Tinubu in the agreement, which he said had restored the relationship between the two countries. “The relationship went downhill with visa suspension and suspension of their flights for Nigerians, it was especially damaging, because we know that Nigerians have a lot of investments in the UAE,” he acknowledged. “We signed a new BASA defining our relationship altogether, again making it more healthy, more open and for the benefits especially of the Nigerian people.”
The airline’s return was marked by the arrival of an Emirates aircraft in Lagos, which was welcomed by an official delegation led by Adil Al Ghaith, Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Central Asia. The airline’s Senior Vice President, David Broz, was also on hand to share the airline’s vision for a brighter future in the country.
The return of Emirates to Nigeria is seen as a major boost for the country’s aviation industry, and is expected to pave the way for more airlines to follow suit.
