The Nigerian government and Canadian authorities have signed a code-sharing agreement to commence direct flights between the two countries.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, signed the agreement with the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pasquale Salvaggio.
Keyamo explained that the agreement is not a full bilateral agreement but a code-share arrangement. This means two or more airlines can market and sell seats on flights operated by another airline, allowing passengers to travel on flights under a different airline’s code. He noted that Nigeria will designate airline operators to facilitate the agreement.
He added that his Canadian counterpart had already signed part of the bilateral agreement, but to save costs, he signed the document in Nigeria. Keyamo said the agreement would further strengthen the relationship between both countries.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, commended the minister for his proactive approach and dedication to advancing Nigeria’s aviation industry.
He noted that Nigeria has the highest economic partnership with Canada among African countries and said the bilateral air services agreement would benefit both nations.
In his remarks, Salvaggio thanked the Nigerian government and expressed Canada’s readiness to work with Nigeria to strengthen bilateral ties.
He said the code-share arrangement would provide greater access to cities through a single airline’s network without requiring additional flights, making connections more convenient with single bookings across multiple flights and airlines.
“Most major airlines today have code-sharing partnerships with other airlines, and code-sharing is a key feature of airline alliances,” he said.
His Post
This afternoon, on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I signed my portion of the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and Canada which is specifically on Code-sharing.
My Canadian counterpart signed her portion earlier in the month in Ottawa and transmitted the document through the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Pasquale Salvaggio, who represented Canada at the signing ceremony today.