by Nigerian News24 Correspondents
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced that domestic airline Air Peace has secured a landing slot at London’s Heathrow Airport, following months of strategic diplomatic engagement.
In a statement posted on his official X account on Saturday, Keyamo revealed that the slot allocation was the result of sustained negotiations by the Nigerian government to enforce the country’s rights under the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with the United Kingdom.
Describing the achievement as a major diplomatic breakthrough, Keyamo said it reflects Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring fair and reciprocal opportunities for its local airlines on international routes.
“This is a significant milestone,” Keyamo wrote. “After many months of diplomatic exchanges and insisting on our reciprocal rights under BASA, we are pleased to announce that Nigeria has finally secured the coveted Heathrow slot for one of our flag carriers, Air Peace.”
He added that the move aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which supports indigenous businesses while upholding international service standards.
With this new development, Air Peace is set to begin direct flights between Abuja and London Heathrow starting in October 2025, marking a major expansion of its international operations. The airline had earlier launched its inaugural London service from Lagos to Gatwick in March 2024.