Nigeria’s leading airline, Air Peace is preparing 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 in a statement posted on his official X account on Saturday.
According to the minister, Nigeria has now successfully obtained a Heathrow slot for Air Peace under the existing Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with the UK.
Keyamo said,“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,”.
This achievement follows persistent efforts by the Nigerian government to address what it described as 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.
The minister had expressed frustration over the matter, stating, “The airline had made consistent efforts in the past to fly into Heathrow Airport from Lagos, but was denied, and only granted approval to fly into Gatwick Airport,” while also highlighting that, “although Air Peace had started its UK operations from Gatwick Airport in March 2024, Heathrow had always been the airline’s preferred hub due to its proximity to central London.”
Tensions rose further after Nigeria approved a new Abuja–London route for Air Peace, prompting the airline to again apply for a Heathrow slot for its winter schedule, then expected to begin in November 2024.
In response to Nigeria’s concerns, Haigh indicated her department’s willingness to engage further during the International Civil Aviation Negotiations (ICAN) held in October 2024.
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.
He also 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,” the minister said.
“But we will also hold them to the highest standards in terms of delivering quality services to the flying public.”
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.
