On August 1, 2024, Nigeria’s Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, took a strong stance by issuing a significant ultimatum to the United Kingdom government, which could lead to a major conflict between the two countries in the aviation sector. Keyamo made it very clear that unless Air Peace, a Nigerian airline, is given the desired landing slots at London Heathrow Airport, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic might face the risk of losing their access to Nigeria’s key international airports in Lagos and Abuja.
In his firm statement, Keyamo sent a letter to the UK Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh. This letter shows Nigeria’s determination to ensure its airlines are treated fairly on the global stage. The minister emphasized that Nigeria’s aviation sector deserves equal treatment and cannot be ignored in international markets, especially since Air Peace has been limited to flying into Gatwick Airport instead of the more prestigious Heathrow.
Keyamo’s position reveals Nigeria’s readiness to assert its rights and demand fairness in international aviation agreements. Nigeria is looking for equal opportunities in global aviation and is standing firm against what it sees as unfair access to valuable routes.
If Nigeria follows through with this demand, it could seriously impact the operations of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, two major international airlines that operate flights to Nigeria. The central issue here is Nigeria’s quest for fairness and access to competitive markets, which Air Peace, one of the leading Nigerian airlines, has struggled to obtain at Heathrow, one of the busiest airports in the world.
Keyamo has argued that giving Air Peace landing rights only at Gatwick is a violation of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the UK. This agreement is supposed to ensure mutual rights for airlines from both countries.
According to Keyamo, while British airlines enjoy unrestricted access to Nigeria’s top airports in Abuja and Lagos, Air Peace has not been able to secure slots at Heathrow. He has called for immediate action to fix this issue, making it clear that Nigeria will not accept unfair treatment of its national carrier.
The UK government has not yet responded to these demands. Daily Sun reached out to the UK Transport Secretary to find out if she received Keyamo’s letter and what steps the UK government plans to take to address the situation. Her researcher, Mr. Henry Smith, replied that the request has been forwarded to the Department of Transport. Daily Sun then submitted a Freedom of Information request to the UK’s Department of Transport, which acknowledged receipt and promised a response in due course.
Daily Sun also checked with Keyamo’s office to see if there had been any reply from the UK government. Mr. Tunde Moshood, the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media, confirmed that no response had been received yet.
Upon reviewing the 38-page Nigeria-UK BASA from 1988, Daily Sun found a significant oversight: the agreement does not include provisions for airport slot allocation. Although the BASA clearly outlines flight frequencies, it does not address airport slot allocation. This oversight may be due to the fact that there were no slot constraints at the time the agreement was signed. Slot allocation at Heathrow is managed by Airport Coordination Limited (ACL), which operates independently from the UK government and follows International Air Transport Association (IATA) guidelines.
An anonymous industry insider confirmed Daily Sun’s findings, stating that the BASA specifies city destinations but not specific airports. Heathrow cannot be explicitly mentioned in the agreement because it falls outside the Department of Transport’s scope. The UK government does not control airport slot allocation, so Air Peace must tackle this issue on its own.
The BASA allows up to four airlines from each country and limits the number of weekly flights to 21 for each side: UK airlines to Abuja, Kano, Lagos, and Nigerian airlines to London. While UK airlines have fully utilized these provisions, Nigeria’s lack of a national carrier has hampered its ability to benefit. To address this, domestic carriers are often designated as ‘flag or national carriers,’ like Arik Air, to meet these agreements.
The 2003 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) conference highlighted the growing importance of managing airport slots due to capacity issues at major airports. It recommended addressing slot allocation issues and prioritizing fairness, transparency, and stakeholder considerations in slot allocation systems.
Industry experts consider Keyamo’s letter a bold move. They argue that restricting Air Peace to Gatwick while British carriers enjoy access to Lagos and Abuja puts Nigerian airlines at a commercial disadvantage. They suggest that resolving this issue requires collaboration between aviation authorities from both countries, Heathrow Airport, and Air Peace. Experts like Amos Akpan believe the Minister’s actions aim to level the playing field, while Alex Nwuba stresses the importance of securing Heathrow slots for Air Peace to foster growth in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Akpan also mentioned that any potential displacement of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic from Lagos and Abuja should be carefully evaluated due to possible diplomatic and operational consequences. Strategies to minimize disruption for passengers and businesses should be prioritized.
Nwuba noted that the Minister’s initial public threat to demote British Airways could hinder constructive dialogue. However, he believes that with persistence and a firm stance, the Minister can achieve his objectives despite possible tough negotiations from the UK.
