Nigeria and Canada have, for the first time, signed an expanded air transport agreement, which allows for direct flights between both countries.

Aviation minister Festus Keyamo and Canada’s chief air negotiator, Shendra Melia, signed the deal at the high commission in Abuja on Thursday.

Mr Keyamo said the deal was adopted following Nigeria and Canada’s technical review of the existing air services framework.

He described the deal as a milestone designed to boost tourism, encourage new opportunities for airlines to thrive in both countries, reduce travel time, strengthen Nigeria-Canada cultural and economic ties, support family reunification, and minimise logistics costs.

The key agreements include the right for Nigeria and Canada to designate multiple airlines to operate scheduled air services between the two countries and a capacity allowance of 14 weekly passenger flights and 10 weekly all-cargo flights for the designated airlines of each country.

Additionally, the granting of Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights for all-cargo operations, allowing cargo airlines to transport freight between two foreign countries, provided the service originates or terminates in the airline’s home country.

The air transport pact was initially negotiated in 2024 as a code-share-only agreement and was signed in March 2025.

Canadian transport minister Steven MacKinnon also echoed Mr Keyamo’s stance on the deal in a statement on the government’s website.

“The newly expanded Canada-Nigeria Air Transport Agreement will strengthen our economic ties, support tourism and trade, and make it easier for people and businesses in both countries to connect,” he said in part.

The Canadian government noted that Nigeria ranks as Canada’s 38th-largest international air transport market in 2025 and is now its third-largest bilateral air market in Africa, after Morocco and Algeria. It added that the Canada-Nigeria air transport market has more than doubled in size over the past decade.

Official data showed that more than 25,000 Nigerians held valid Canadian study permits as of March 31 this year, reflecting their strong interest in Canada as a study destination.

Over the years, Nigerians travelling to Canada have had to book connecting flights, mostly transiting through Doha, Dubai, London Heathrow, Paris, Amsterdam and Atlanta, among other cities.

Many Nigerians have welcomed the development in social media posts, saying it was long overdue.

An X user, Oyederu Oyewande, commended President Bola Tinubu’s government, saying, “This is a big development. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and God bless Canada.”

Also describing it as a welcome development, another user, Ibrahim Raji, stated, “I look forward to the Nigeria-to-Canada flight that won’t be beyond 6-13 hours direct flight even if it is available once a week; many would like to be in Nigeria at slightest chance, but fear of travelling for 24-48 junketing d globe is much a stress.”

“This is long overdue,” @samiegbasky said. “Kudos to you, Hon. Minister; you got this one spot on. No more merry-go-round before going to Canada anymore.”