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.