The Nigerian Ministry of Aviation has established conditions for local airlines, including Air Peace and Air Contractors, to operate flights to the United States. Airlines must demonstrate increased capacity and consistency before being granted access to the US route. This initiative aims to bolster Nigeria's presence in international aviation and ensure local operators maintain control over international routes. To sustain long-haul operations, Nigerian airlines are encouraged to forge connections and alliances with global aviation networks such as Oneworld or Star Alliance. Additionally, the government is pursuing lower costs for international flights and is seeking to enhance business interactions with Uganda, with Uganda Airlines planning to add Abuja to its routes [086d5248].
In a related development, United Airlines announced it will operate daily flights between Lagos and Washington, D.C., starting December 4, 2024, until February 14, 2025. This expansion will increase seat availability by 133% and utilize Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners, enhancing passenger comfort and providing Nigerian travelers with more options and connections to over 70 destinations in the Americas [f363a4ec].
However, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) clarified that Nigeria was not banned from US Category One status due to security concerns; rather, the delisting occurred because no Nigerian airline currently provides direct flights to the US. The last airline to do so was Arik Air, which suspended its New York flights on February 3, 2017. The US began delisting Category One countries in September 2022, affecting nations lacking compliance with international safety standards. Despite this, Nigerian airlines can still operate US routes via wet lease arrangements. NCAA's Acting Director General, Chris Najomo, emphasized that Nigeria's oversight system is safe, following a successful ICAO audit [ffce9a25].
Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, is actively pursuing international campaigns to restore Nigeria's Category One status. In a positive development, Delta Airlines plans to resume daily flights to Lagos from New York-JFK starting December 1, 2024. Meanwhile, Air Peace aims to expand its operations with new flights to New York and Houston by the end of 2024, acquiring three Boeing 777s for this purpose, aligning with the government's efforts to promote Nigerian airlines in the global aviation market [ffce9a25][7dec9bf8].
