Nigeria and Canada have signed an expanded Air Transport Agreement that will, for the first time, allow direct scheduled air services between both countries, a move expected to boost trade, tourism, investment and people-to-people relations.
According to the Special Adviser to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, the development agreement was signed on Thursday at the Canadian High Commission in Abuja by officials of both countries following a technical review of the existing Bilateral Air Services framework.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, was represented at the signing ceremony by the Director of Air Transport Management in the ministry, Mohammed Ahmed Tijjani, while Canada’s delegation was led by the Chief Air Negotiator for Global Affairs Canada, Shendra Melia.
The expanded agreement introduces new provisions aimed at strengthening air connectivity and creating opportunities for airlines and businesses in both countries.
Under the new arrangement, both Nigeria and Canada will be permitted to designate multiple airlines to operate scheduled services between the two countries. The agreement also provides for up to 14 weekly passenger flights and 10 weekly all-cargo flights for designated carriers from each country.
In addition, the pact grants Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights for all-cargo operations, enabling cargo airlines to transport freight between two foreign countries, provided the service originates or terminates in the airline’s home country.
Officials said the development is expected to facilitate the launch of direct flights between Nigeria and Canada, reducing travel time for passengers, improving convenience, lowering logistics costs and strengthening commercial and cultural ties.
The agreement followed the Nigeria–Canada Air Transport Expansion Technical Review Worksession, during which officials from both countries reviewed existing bilateral arrangements and reached a consensus that culminated in the signing of the Agreed Minutes.
The Nigerian delegation included Director of Legal Services in the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Jummai Yahaya; Director of Air Transport Regulation at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Olayinka Babaoye-Iriobe; and other senior government officials.
The Canadian delegation comprised officials from Global Affairs Canada and Transport Canada, including Trade Policy Officer Jathorsan Lingarajan and Manager and Senior Policy Advisor Steven Worth.
The expanded agreement comes amid growing ties between Nigeria and Canada, particularly in education and business. According to the statement, more than 25,000 Nigerians held valid Canadian study permits as of March 31, 2026, making Nigeria one of Canada’s major sources of international students.
Authorities in both countries expressed optimism that the enhanced aviation framework would support increased educational exchanges, tourism, business travel, investment opportunities and family reunification.
The Nigeria–Canada Air Transport Agreement was originally negotiated in 2014 as a code-share-only arrangement and was formally signed in March 2025. The latest pact represents the first major expansion of the bilateral air services framework since its initial negotiation more than a decade ago.
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