The Federal Government’s backing of Nigeria’s aviation industry has received fresh validation, as Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, announced that Nigeria’s flagship carrier, Air Peace, has successfully secured a daily flight slot at London’s prestigious Heathrow Airport.
Keyamo, sharing the update on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle over the weekend, described the achievement as the result of months of diplomatic negotiations. He said it underscores Nigeria’s firm insistence on its reciprocal rights under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with the United Kingdom.
“This milestone demonstrates our commitment to levelling the playing field for Nigerian airlines. We will extend similar support to all domestic carriers while holding them to high service delivery standards,” Keyamo stated.
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This development follows an announcement by Air Peace CEO Allen Onyema, who confirmed that the UK’s Airports Coordination Limited (ACL) had granted the airline a coveted slot at Heathrow. Onyema commended Keyamo and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for championing local aviation growth, revealing that the airline will begin direct flights from Abuja to Heathrow on October 26, 2025.
The Abuja-Heathrow service is scheduled to run three times a week, while flights between Abuja and Gatwick will operate four times weekly, marking a significant expansion in Air Peace’s international operations.
Last year, Keyamo had threatened retaliatory measures against British carriers operating in Nigeria, including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, after UK aviation authorities denied Air Peace access to Heathrow. He stressed the imbalance, noting that while UK airlines operated out of Nigeria’s main airports—Lagos and Abuja—Air Peace had initially been relegated to Gatwick due to late application.
In an earlier letter dated August 1, 2024, Keyamo warned UK authorities that, without fair treatment for Nigerian airlines, access to Nigeria’s busiest airports for British carriers could be reconsidered.
Although UK Transport Secretary Louise Haigh had explained that Air Peace missed the coordination deadline for that season, it appears continued advocacy and diplomatic pressure paid off, paving the way for what could become a new chapter for Nigerian aviation on the global stage.
