Nigeria’s Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has proposed XEJET, a Nigerian carrier, as a potential partner for Namibia’s efforts to establish direct air connectivity between Nigeria and Windhoek.
The proposal was made during a meeting with Namibian Ambassador to Nigeria, Humphrey Geiseb, on Thursday.
According to a statement released by Keyamo’s aide, Tunde Moshood, Namibia is currently in discussions with Air Peace regarding the restoration of direct flights between the two nations. However, Geiseb did not disclose the progress of negotiations with the airline but reaffirmed his country’s interest in partnering with Nigerian carriers to enhance bilateral trade and tourism.
The development aligns with ongoing efforts to strengthen diplomatic and economic relations between Nigeria and Namibia, fostering better connectivity and increased business opportunities.
Our country’s desire to partner with Nigerian airlines to restore direct connectivity, citing ongoing discussions with Air Peace” he said, while encouraging Keyamo to engage with domestic airlines to explore potential collaboration opportunities.
While highlighting the historical importance of Air Namibia’s operations between the two countries, Geiseb also noted that the national carrier previously connected Lagos to Accra and played a key role in facilitating travel between Namibia and Nigeria.
He added that “Unfortunately, Air Namibia faced financial difficulties and was eventually forced to cease operations following a government bailout.”