Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has said the return of flight operations by Emirates Airlines to Nigeria will bring about healthy competition and competitive pricing in the international routes.

He disclosed this on Wednesday in his remarks following his arrival aboard an Emirates aircraft from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Lagos State.

He noted that the government had secured a code-sharing agreement with Emirates Airlines for the benefit of domestic operators.

“With this, we have more competition on different international routes now. That is what it’s all about, to ensure healthy competition.

“A healthy competition leads to competitive pricing for the benefit of the Nigerian people.

“But you also know that why we fought for this, is that Dubai in particular, is a major hub of the world, it links virtually every country.

“For our airlines too, I can tell you that we also secured some kind of code-sharing agreement.

“We told them that if you want to codeshare, our airlines will have the right of first refusal,” he said.

Recall that Emirates Airlines had announced the resumption of flight operations in Nigeria from October 1, 2024, after it stopped in 2022 over trapped funds.

Keyamo explains what Emirates return means for Nigerians