Good News for Nigerians as Direct Flight Between Nigeria, Tunisia Set to Commence

• According to the ambassador of the Republic of Tunisia to Nigeria, direct flights are anticipated to begin in 2026
• Mohsen claims that the majority of airlines operating flights between Nigeria and Tunisia are non-African
• The ambassador from Tunisia emphasised the value of cross-cultural interactions and sectoral cooperation

Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has over 3 years of experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.

Moshen Antit, the ambassador of the Republic of Tunisia to Nigeria, said that direct flights between Tunisia and Nigeria are expected to start in 2026 to improve bilateral relations between the two countries.

He made this statement on Wednesday in Abuja during a news conference with the media.

He noted that improved air connectivity is anticipated to make travel easier for both business travellers and tourists, thereby bolstering diplomatic and commercial ties. According to him, direct flights are essential for promoting tighter business, political, and cultural exchanges.

Read also

36 years later, American tourists share their story after arriving in Nigeria on 10-day Visas

Mohsen said that non-African airlines are the main operators of flights between Nigeria and Tunisia. Royal Air Maroc, based in Morocco, is the sole African airline that has recently introduced a direct route, with a flight scheduled to take place in June 2024 between Abuja and Casablanca.

He states that the initiative aims to increase accessibility and promote closer cultural and economic relations between the two countries. The plan is still in the planning stages, he says, because both nations are dedicated to collaborating to make sure it is implemented successfully.

He said,

“And we are working on an airline, of course, between Tunisia and Nigeria in order for our affairs and our relationship to be more effective. So I dealt with the same question with President Tinubu when I met him in April 2024 about this question, and we convinced one another that an air flight is compulsory to make the two peoples nearer to one another.

Read also

Aviation: FG sends message to investors, explains how to deal with bribery

“So it’s scheduled to be effective in 2026, but we should work hard to make sure that Nigeria is part and parcel of this project with Tunisia, Nigeria will not be the only flight of course to be added to the web of flights, but we should work together to concretise it.” he said.

The Vanguard reported that the ambassador from Tunisia also emphasized the value of cross-sector collaboration and cultural exchanges.

According to Moshen, a group of over twenty businesspeople will travel to Abuja, Nigeria, to organize a multisectoral economic forum. This initiative is part of the two nations' desire to improve their bilateral ties in the areas of investment and economics.

He said,

“The Tunisian delegation that will participate in the forum is the first of its kind and in its size. They will come from Tunisia to Nigeria; Tunisia wants to develop the relationship with the countries of Western Africa. I mean, this region is very important, and Nigeria is making what we call the biggest country in this region, the richest one, and the biggest economy in Africa, if we would say.

Read also

Nigeria vs Chinese company: Lawyer digs up 2 root causes

NCAA Clarifies Delisting of Nigerian Airlines by US Government

Legit.ng reported that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had explained why the US government delisted Nigerian airlines from their Category One status via the United States Aviation Administration (FAA).

A statement by the acting director general of NCCA, Chris Najomo, said that Nigeria was delisted because no Nigerian airline provided flight services to the US.

Arik Air was the last airline to provide direct flights to New York, which was later suspended on February 3, 2017.

Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng

Source: Legit.ng