The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Wednesday said the return of Emirates Airlines to Nigeria after two years will lead to healthy competitive pricing for the good of Nigerians.
He stated this in Lagos upon arrival aboard an Emirates aircraft from the United Arab Emirates, saying the airline had returned to stay and that the Bilateral Air Service Agreement discussed was to secure the route for local operators.
“We signed a new BASA defining our relationship altogether, again making it healthier, more open, and for the benefit of the Nigerian people,” Keyamo said.
“With this, we have more competition on different international routes now. That is what it’s all about to ensure healthy competition. A healthy competition leads to competitive pricing for the benefit of the Nigerian people.”
The minister explained that local carriers now have the opportunity to fly to any destination in the UAE.
“It was especially damaging because we know that Nigerians have a lot of investments in the UAE. They have many interests and investments there, so eventually, it was not an adventure in self-glorification; it was a fight for the people of Nigeria, especially.
“But you also know that the reason we fought for this is that Dubai, in particular, is a major hub of the world; it links virtually every country,” he added.
Emirates Airlines suspended flight operations to Nigeria in November 2022 over its inability to repatriate its $85 million revenue trapped in the country.
Keyamo announced in April that he received a letter from the airline confirming that all the issues had been resolved and that he was prepared to resume flights.
To resolve the issue, both Nigeria and the UAE on September 27, agreed on reciprocal rights ahead of the resumption of Emirates Airlines’ flight operations to Nigeria.
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