Travel
NIGERIA’S AIR PEACE SECURES HEATHROW AIRPORT SLOT AFTER PROLONGED DIPLOMATIC NEGOTIATIONS
Nigeria’s leading airline, Air Peace, is set to launch flight services to London’s Heathrow Airport, marking a significant milestone after prolonged diplomatic negotiations between Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed this development in a statement posted on his official X account on Saturday.
According to Keyamo, Nigeria has successfully obtained a Heathrow slot for Air Peace under the existing Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with the UK. “My dear compatriots, after many months of diplomatic exchanges and shuttles, insisting on our reciprocal rights under our Bilateral Air Services Agreement, we are pleased to announce that Nigeria has finally secured the coveted Heathrow slot for one of our flag carriers, Air Peace,” Keyamo said.
The achievement follows persistent efforts by the Nigerian government to address the repeated denial of Heathrow access to Air Peace, despite ongoing requests. In a letter dated August 1, 2024, addressed to Louise Haigh, the UK’s secretary of state for transport, Keyamo warned that Nigeria might be forced to implement reciprocal measures, potentially restricting British Airways and Virgin Atlantic from operating in Lagos and Abuja, if the UK continued to deny Heathrow slots to the Nigerian carrier.
Air Peace had started its UK operations from Gatwick Airport in March 2024, but Heathrow had always been the airline’s preferred hub due to its proximity to central London. With the latest announcement, Keyamo confirmed that both nations have come to an agreement, allowing Air Peace to expand its operations and enhance its global presence.
The carrier is expected to begin a four-times-weekly service between Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and London-Heathrow Airport on October 26, 2025, which marks the start of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) winter scheduling season. All flights will be operated by the carrier’s Boeing 777s, of which it currently has three.
Keyamo reiterated the Nigerian government’s commitment to backing local carriers while maintaining expectations for high service standards. “We are committed to offering similar support to all our local operators, which is one of the focal points of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. But we will also hold them to the highest standards in terms of delivering quality services to the flying public,” the minister said.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, in partnership with MTN Nigeria, has launched free WiFi services at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Terminal 2 in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The launch of the internet service took place at MMIA Terminal 2 in Lagos on Thursday, and was launched by the Managing Director of FAAN, Olubunmi Kuku, who was represented by the Director of Airport Operations, Captain Abdullahi Mahmood. Also present was Lynda Saint-Nwafor, Chief Enterprise Business Officer of MTN Nigeria, who represented the Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola.
The wifi service, which is completely free for passengers and airport users, will be extended to the MMIA temporary terminal and other international airports across the country within the next three months.
In his address, Captain Mahmood described the launch as a milestone for FAAN and a benchmark for digital infrastructure and passenger experience at Nigerian airports. He noted that the partnership with MTN Nigeria demonstrates how effective Public-Private Partnership alignment can modernize infrastructure and strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy.
The Director of Airport Operations added that the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Bola Tinubu and the transformation drive of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
In her remarks, Saint-Nwafor assured that the service would be reliable, secure, and efficient for all users. She commended the FAAN management team for its collaboration and foresight in ensuring the successful completion of the project.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday unveiled the website for his administration’s “gold card” program, an initiative offering expedited visas for a minimum of one million dollars, though its viability and legality are already in question. The program promises a fast-track to residency and citizenship for wealthy individuals and corporate-sponsored workers.
“A direct path to Citizenship for all qualified and vetted people,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Our Great American Companies can finally keep their invaluable Talent.”
According to the website, the program offers residency “in record time,” potentially within weeks. Individual applicants are required to pay a fifteen thousand dollar application fee and, upon completion of a background check, an additional one million dollars. This payment is described as evidence that the individual will substantially benefit the United States.
A corporate version of the program allows companies to sponsor employees by paying the same processing fee and two million dollars per worker. The website further states that employers can terminate sponsorship for one employee and transfer it to another without submitting a new application, for a small additional fee.
The physical card displayed on the site is gold, shaped like a credit card, and features a photograph of former President Trump. The launch introduces a high-cost pathway for immigration that is expected to face significant scrutiny.
A total of 35 Nigerian nationals, including five children, were deported from the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday and arrived in Nigeria on Thursday. The group consisted of 21 men, nine women, and five children, who traveled on a chartered flight from Dublin Airport.
According to Irish Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, the deportation flight experienced an unscheduled stop due to a medical emergency on board, but all passengers eventually arrived in Nigeria. O’Callaghan emphasized the importance of enforcing Ireland’s rules-based immigration system, stating, “Ireland has a rules-based immigration system. It is important that those rules are robust and enforced.”
However, Nigeria’s Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) revealed that it was not informed about the deportation. NiDCOM spokesperson Abdur-Rahman Balogun disclosed that the commission had no prior knowledge of the incident.
The reasons for the deportation of the individuals involved were not specified by the Irish Minister for Justice. The development highlights the complexities surrounding immigration policies and the need for cooperation between countries.