Nigeria and Canada have advanced discussions on establishing direct air service between the two countries.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo said the Federal Government remains committed to expanding bilateral aviation links even as Ottawa pressed for clearer immigration procedures.
Minister Keyamo met with David Sproule, chargé d’affaires at the Canadian High Commission, and a Canadian delegation that included the Deputy High Commissioner and the trade commissioner.
The talks, held at the Ministry in Abuja, centered on an Air Services Agreement intended to allow non‑stop flights between Nigeria and Canada.
According to a statement by the Minister’s Media aide Tunde Moshood, Sproule said a high‑level Canadian delegation will visit Nigeria in the first week of August to continue negotiations.
He said that Canada wants Standard Operating Procedures to be included in any broader cooperation framework to speed processing and removal of Nigerian nationals deemed inadmissible in Canada.
Ottawa sees unresolved immigration and repatriation procedures as one of the remaining impediments to approving direct flights, he said.
“Introducing direct flights could increase passenger traffic and place additional pressure on immigration enforcement and repatriation mechanisms if procedures are not established beforehand,” Sproule said.
Keyamo welcomed the prospect of direct routes, saying demand among Nigerian travellers has been strong for years and that many passengers currently transit through Europe or the United States.
“From an aviation perspective, the federal government is committed to opening new international routes that will improve connectivity, enhance passenger convenience, and strengthen economic and people‑to‑people relations,” he said.
The Minister also stressed that immigration and deportation are outside the constitutional remit of his ministry and would require interministerial cooperation, particularly with the Ministry of Interior.
He said Nigeria would facilitate involvement from other agencies where needed to resolve the SOP issues.
Both sides agreed to continue negotiations at a bilateral session scheduled for Aug. 6, where senior officials from Nigeria and Canada will seek to address outstanding points.
Keyamo said he would be represented by senior ministry officials because of prior commitments.
NewsQuest reports that the talks mark the latest effort to deepen commercial and diplomatic ties between the two countries and come as airlines worldwide weigh new transcontinental routes amid shifting travel demand.
