Nigeria and the government of Canada have signed an expanded air transport agreement that will, for the first time, allow direct scheduled flights between both countries.
The agreement was signed on Thursday in Abuja by Mohammed Ahmed Tijjani, director of air transport management at the ministry of aviation and aerospace development, and Shendra Melia, Canada’s chief air negotiator for global affairs.
Tijjani represented Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, at the signing ceremony.
According to a statement by Tunde Moshood, special adviser on media and communications to the minister, the agreement followed a technical review of the existing bilateral air services framework by officials from both countries.
Key highlights of the expanded air transport agreement include allowing Nigeria and Canada to designate multiple airlines to operate scheduled services between the two countries.
“A capacity allowance of 14 weekly passenger flights and 10 weekly all-cargo flights for the designated airlines of each country,” the statement reads.
“The granting of Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights for all-cargo operations, allowing cargo airlines to transport freight between two foreign countries, provided the service originates or terminates in the airline’s home country.”
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According to the statement, the agreement is expected to improve air connectivity by paving the way for direct flights, reducing travel time, improving passenger convenience, lowering logistics costs, and strengthening commercial and cultural ties between both nations.
Moshood said the expanded aviation framework is expected to support educational exchanges, business travel, tourism, investment, and family reunification.
“The Nigeria–Canada Air Transport Agreement was originally negotiated in 2014 as a code-share-only arrangement and formally signed in March 2025,” he said.
“The current agreement represents the first major expansion of the bilateral air services framework since its negotiation over a decade ago.”
The ministry had announced that Nigeria and Canada would resume talks on direct flight operations on August 6 to resolve outstanding issues delaying the commencement of air services between them.
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