The Emirates Airline is preparing to recommence operations in Nigeria by June 2024, as confirmed by Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
Keyamo made this announcement during his appearance on Arise Television on Monday, shedding light on the efforts made to resolve the strained relations between the two countries.
Acknowledging the significant role played by President Bola Tinubu in the diplomatic negotiations, the minister expressed optimism about the resumption of Emirates flights. He revealed that the Nigerian government and the United Arab Emirates have successfully resolved the pertinent issues, paving the way for the airline to announce its first flight date.
Keyamo further shared that Emirates Airline had sent a letter affirming its readiness to resume flight operations in Nigeria. The comprehensive preparations undertaken by the airline indicate that the resumption is imminent. “Emirates flight resumption is almost happening. I just received a letter from Emirates. The letter is on my phone now. They have gone through all the gamut, and they are ready to come back. They will announce the date because to restart a route, they have to get an aircraft for that route,” the minister explained.
It is worth noting that in November 2023, following the Dubai Airshow, Keyamo engaged in discussions with Emirates Airlines representatives regarding the potential resumption of flights. At the time, the airline was finalizing the necessary details and assured that the exact date of the recommencement would be announced soon.
Keyamo expressed his gratitude for the collective efforts made and attributed the success of the negotiations to President Bola Tinubu’s diplomatic shuttle. “I am announcing to Nigerians for the first time; that I just received a letter from Emirates now. The letter is with me. I have a hard copy thanking you for all the efforts we made. Mr. President was the showman here. He was the one who pushed for it. He made my job easy because he went there, and had a diplomatic shuttle to resolve all the issues. That was why I said the last announcement was hasty and not fake news. They will announce the date for their next flight. We have received a letter confirming that all the issues have been resolved and that we are prepared to start coming back. It maybe before June,” shared the minister.
Emirates Airline temporarily suspended its flight operations to Nigeria in October 2022 due to difficulties in repatriating funds held in the country. The airline cited the $85 billion revenue trapped in Nigeria as the reason behind the suspension. However, with the successful resolution of the issues, Emirates Airline is now gearing up to reconnect Nigerian travelers to its extensive global network.