By Patience Chat Moses
Nigeria is set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Algeria to establish direct flights between the two countries.
The agreement is expected to be effective in a few months and will allow passengers to travel between Algiers, Lagos, Abuja, and Oran.
A direct flight in the aviation industry is any flight between two points by an airline with no change in flight numbers, which may include one or more stops at an intermediate point(s).
The announcement was made by Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace, who said a day will be picked to sign the new agreement.
“We are going to fix a day either here in Nigeria or international forum for the signing. We are very happy to have Air Algeria back on the soil of Nigeria. We want competition, we want the price of air tickets to go down for the benefit of Nigeria,” he said.
Keyamo further explained that Algeria has reached out to Nigeria in the past weeks to reopen the route between Algeria and Lagos, and that the government has insisted on reciprocity for Nigerian airlines, which will also allow them to fly directly to Algeria.
The Algerian Ambassador to Nigeria, Hocine Latli, said the new agreement is a “symbiotic relationship” that will benefit both countries.
“You can’t have a tied partnership if you do not have a direct flight between the two countries. We are trying to solve this problem of direct flight and restart the dynamic partnership and cooperation between the two countries, especially in the next few months,” the Ambassador stated.
“So, it is important today that we have reached a common point that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace has accepted the opening of direct flight from Algeria to Nigeria,” he added.
Introducing direct flights between Nigeria and Algeria is a significant step in strengthening ties between the two countries. The move will make it easier for people to travel between the two countries, which is expected to boost tourism and business opportunities.
The signing of the MoU for direct flights is a welcome development that signals a new era of cooperation between Nigeria and Algeria.
This agreement is expected to pave the way for further collaboration in other areas, such as trade, investment and culture.
