The United States and Nigeria officially ushered in a new era of air travel on May 13th, 2024, with the full implementation of the Open Skies Air Transport Agreement. This agreement, provisionally applied since 2000, establishes a modern framework for air travel between the two nations.
This is contained in a statement from Office of the Spokesperson, U.S. Department of State on Thursday.
“The U.S.-Nigeria Air Transport Agreement, which has been provisionally applied since 2000, entered into force on May 13, 2024. This bilateral agreement establishes a modern civil aviation relationship with Nigeria consistent with U.S. Open Skies international aviation policy and with commitments to high standards of aviation safety and security. The agreement includes provisions that allow for unrestricted capacity and frequency of services, open route rights, a liberal charter regime, and open code-sharing opportunities,” the statement reads.
The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria hailed the agreement as a major step forward in U.S.-Nigerian relations.
“This agreement with Nigeria is a step forward in liberalizing the international civil aviation sector in Africa and further expands our strong economic and commercial partnership, promotes people-to-people ties, and creates new opportunities for airlines, travel companies, and customers. With this agreement, air carriers can provide more affordable, convenient, and efficient air services to travelers and shippers, which in turn promotes tourism and commerce,” a statement from the embassy declared.