Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo has approved between four and five international routes for United Nigeria Airlines — including services to New York, Canada, and Dubai — in what he described as a deliberate government push to correct the long-standing imbalance in which foreign airlines carry between 90 and 95 per cent of all outbound international passengers from Nigeria.
The announcement was made during the official unveiling of two newly acquired Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft by United Nigeria Airlines in Lagos on Thursday, 19 June 2026. The two aircraft — named after the Obi of Onitsha, Nnaemeka Achebe, and renowned Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe — form part of the airline's fleet expansion programme even as it navigates severe financial pressures that led it to disclose losses exceeding ₦10 billion earlier in 2026.
What the Route Approvals Mean
"We are giving United about four or five routes now. We are giving them New York. We are giving them Canada. We are giving them Dubai. We are giving them some very fruitful routes now," Keyamo said — confirming the allocations were made under existing bilateral air service agreements not previously activated for Nigerian carrier use. The transatlantic New York service would make United Nigeria Airlines one of very few Nigerian carriers ever to operate scheduled transatlantic flights.
The Nigerian Aircraft Leasing Company
Keyamo also disclosed that President Tinubu had approved the creation of a Nigerian Aircraft Leasing Company — a government-backed vehicle designed to help carriers negotiate aircraft acquisitions at more favourable terms than individual airlines can achieve independently. The leasing company would leverage the government's credit standing to reduce fleet acquisition costs for Nigerian airlines, potentially transforming the economics of fleet expansion in one of the world's most challenging aviation financing environments.
