The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced that Nigerian airline, Air Peace, will begin direct flights from Abuja to London’s Heathrow Airport on October 26, 2025.
Keyamo shared the news in a statement released on Sunday through his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood. He said the breakthrough came after several months of strong diplomatic efforts by the Federal Government to ensure fair treatment of Nigerian airlines.
According to the minister, the achievement followed a letter his ministry sent on August 1, 2024, to the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh. In the letter, Nigeria demanded that Air Peace be granted landing slots at Heathrow Airport. Keyamo also warned that if the UK did not comply, Nigeria could consider reviewing the access of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic to Lagos and Abuja airports.
“This is not just a win for Air Peace, but a significant diplomatic milestone for Nigeria,” Keyamo said. “It sends a clear message that we are serious about enforcing the terms of our bilateral agreements and protecting the commercial interests of our indigenous carriers.”
The minister explained that the demand was based on the Bilateral Air Services Agreement between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, which allows both countries to have fair and equal air travel opportunities.
He said after months of back-and-forth negotiations, the UK government finally agreed to give Air Peace a slot at Heathrow Airport.
Keyamo added that this progress supports President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to help Nigerian businesses succeed globally. He said Air Peace’s earlier launch of direct flights from Lagos to London Gatwick in March 2024 showed the airline’s readiness to compete on the international stage.
“With the move to Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest airports, Air Peace is expected to give Nigerian travellers more comfort and better connections,” Keyamo said. “This development opens a new chapter in Nigeria-UK aviation ties and proves that Nigerian airlines can stand strong with the right support.”
He praised the efforts of all parties involved and said the move sets a good example for how future agreements should be handled to benefit local carriers.
