The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has announced that Emirates Airlines is set to resume flight operations to Nigeria before June 2024. Keyamo made this announcement during an interview with Arise News Channel on Monday morning, confirming that he had received a letter from Emirates Airlines regarding the return of the carrier.
The airline suspended flight operations to Nigeria in 2022 due to its inability to repatriate its revenue in US dollars trapped in the country. However, the federal government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has released a significant portion of the trapped funds, paving the way for the return of the airlines.
Keyamo revealed that he recently met with Emirates Airlines executives at the Dubai Airshow in November 2023, where they discussed the resumption of flight operations. The Minister also acknowledged the efforts of President Bola Tinubu, stating that he played a significant role in resolving the issues between Nigeria and the UAE, enabling the resumption of flights.
Emirates Airlines is yet to announce the official resumption date, but the Minister has confirmed that the airline will announce the date for its next flight. The airline’s return is expected to boost the aviation industry and provide more travel options for Nigerians.
