Nigeria and Canada have moved closer to establishing direct flights between the two countries under a new aviation agreement aimed at improving travel, trade and investment links. The development could particularly benefit Nigerians living in Canada, business travellers and exporters, but passengers should note that signing an agreement does not mean non-stop commercial flights will begin immediately.
The latest move builds on months of talks between Abuja and Ottawa over an expanded Air Services Agreement that would allow airlines to operate direct passenger services between the two countries.
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has been leading the Nigerian side of the negotiations, while Canadian officials have repeatedly said improved air connectivity is a priority in the growing relationship between the two countries.
At the end of July, Keyamo met Canada’s Chargé d’Affaires in Nigeria, David Sproule, as both sides prepared for further negotiations scheduled for 6 August. Officials said the talks would focus on removing remaining regulatory obstacles to direct flights.
The development is important because passengers travelling between Nigeria and Canada currently have to connect through another country. Recent flight schedules showed no non-stop service between Lagos and Toronto, with passengers commonly connecting through cities including Casablanca, London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, Istanbul and Doha.
Direct flights will not start automatically
The agreement should not be interpreted to mean travellers can immediately book a direct Lagos-to-Toronto flight.
Airlines must still be designated, regulatory requirements completed and commercially viable routes established before tickets can go on sale.
Canada’s Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Carlos Rojas-Arbulú, said in July that the two governments were working towards direct commercial flights but had yet to complete the process.
“On air connectivity, Canada and Nigeria have advanced a bilateral air transport relationship to a codeshare arrangement. But the possibility of direct flights remains under consideration,” he said.
For travellers, the difference is significant.
A codeshare agreement allows one airline to sell seats on a flight operated by another airline. Passengers may therefore book a journey under one airline’s code even when another carrier operates part of the trip.
A direct or non-stop service, by contrast, would allow passengers to travel from a Nigerian airport to a Canadian airport without changing aircraft in another country.
New Daily Prime previously reported the earlier Nigeria-Canada aviation agreement, under which both countries introduced a codeshare framework intended to improve connectivity. Read New Daily Prime’s earlier report on the Nigeria–Canada air services agreement
That earlier arrangement did not itself authorise full direct operations. Canadian government information has also previously described the existing framework as allowing codeshare services rather than direct flights.
Diaspora travellers could be major beneficiaries
A direct Nigeria-Canada route would have particular significance for the large Nigerian community in Canada.
Many Nigerians travel between the two countries for family visits, education, business and professional engagements. Without a direct service, passengers often face lengthy journeys and additional airport connections.
Industry figures have argued that direct air links could reduce journey times, improve passenger convenience and make it easier to transport time-sensitive cargo.
At a Nigeria-Canada business roundtable in November 2025, business leaders said improved air connectivity could help unlock billions of dollars in trade and investment.
Rojas-Arbulú said at the event that better air services would make it easier to move passengers and cargo and could support sectors including agriculture, energy, technology and professional services.
He also said Canada viewed Nigeria as an important market in West Africa.
The economic argument extends beyond passenger travel. Direct cargo capacity could help Nigerian exporters move agricultural products, processed foods and other goods to Canada more quickly, while Canadian businesses could gain easier access to Africa’s largest population.
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Trade ambitions extend beyond aviation
The aviation negotiations form part of a wider attempt to strengthen commercial relations between Nigeria and Canada.
Canadian officials have said investors are interested in Nigeria’s mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, agriculture, technology and other sectors, but want greater policy certainty and reliable economic data.
Rojas-Arbulú said in July that Canadian companies were comparing investment opportunities in Nigeria with those available in Ghana, South Africa, Mexico and other markets.
He said successful trade relations depended not only on government policy but also on trust, reliable information and businesses being willing to turn discussions into actual investments.
Nigeria and Canada have also been discussing investment protection arrangements designed to provide businesses with greater certainty when moving capital between the two countries.
The Nigeria-Canada Trade and Investment Summit has identified direct air connectivity, a preferential trade agreement and stronger business-to-business links as important areas for expanding bilateral commerce.
Airlines will decide whether routes are commercially viable
Even after governments clear the regulatory path, airlines will have to decide whether a Nigeria-Canada route makes commercial sense.
Passenger demand, airport charges, aircraft availability, fuel costs and expected cargo volumes will all influence that decision.
Officials have previously mentioned Nigerian and Canadian carriers as possible operators, but no airline should be described as having confirmed a service until it formally announces a route, schedule and ticket sales.
That distinction matters because aviation agreements give airlines permission to operate; they do not compel carriers to launch flights.
For Nigerians planning travel to Canada, the practical advice is therefore to continue using existing flight schedules until an airline officially announces a non-stop Nigeria-Canada service.
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