Nigeria and the government of Canada have signed an expanded air transport agreement that will, for the first time, allow direct scheduled flights between both countries.

The agreement was signed on Thursday in Abuja by Mohammed Ahmed Tijjani, director of air transport management at the ministry of aviation and aerospace development, and Shendra Melia, Canada’s chief air negotiator for global affairs.

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Tijjani represented Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, at the signing ceremony.

According to a statement by Tunde Moshood, special adviser on media and communications to the minister, the agreement followed a technical review of the existing bilateral air services framework by officials from both countries.

Key highlights of the expanded air transport agreement include allowing Nigeria and Canada to designate multiple airlines to operate scheduled services between the two countries.

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“A capacity allowance of 14 weekly passenger flights and 10 weekly all-cargo flights for the designated airlines of each country,” the statement reads.