Abuja, June 23, 2025 – The Federal Government has secured a landing slot for Air Peace Airline at Heathrow Airport in London effective from October 26.
Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, disclosed this in a statement at the weekend.
The statement, signed by Tunde Moshood, the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, said the achievement followed sustained diplomatic efforts by the Federal Government to enforce reciprocity in international air travel agreements.
He said the achievement was after months of negotiations and firm diplomatic engagement with the UK authorities and particularly after a strongly worded letter to the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Rt. Hon. Louise Haigh.
The minister said Nigeria was only asserting her rights under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement between both nations which guarantees reciprocal access and fair treatment for designated flag carriers.
“This is not just a win for Air Peace, but a significant diplomatic milestone for Nigeria.
“It sends a clear message that we are serious about enforcing the terms of our bilateral agreements and protecting the commercial interests of our indigenous carriers.
“This development marks a new chapter in Nigeria-UK aviation relations and sets a precedent for stronger enforcement of bilateral agreements to benefit national carriers,” he said.
Keyamo said the achievement aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda which places high priority on creating an enabling environment for Nigerian businesses to thrive globally.
Air Peace had earlier launched its inaugural direct flight from Lagos to London Gatwick Airport in March 2024.
