Nigeria and Canada sign code-sharing agreement to allow airlines sell seats to each other

The Nigerian and Canadian governments have signed a landmark code-sharing agreement aimed at enhancing efficiency and connectivity in the aviation sector.

Announcing the development on Friday, March 21,  Gbenga Saka, special adviser on digital media to Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed the deal.

The agreement will allow airlines from both countries to sell seats on each other’s flights, a move expected to improve flight options and boost commercial ties.

“Today, we advance our relationship one step further as we sign a very important agreement,” Keyamo said during the signing ceremony.

“It is not a full Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA), but one that has to do with codesharing and subsequently, we are going to designate airlines on both sides to move this forward,” he added.

Keyamo noted that some airlines had already received approvals to operate on the route and urged them to take advantage of the new framework.

“An agreement has come into force today, and we will have to communicate with our local operators on both sides. Many of them have been actually lining up for this initiative,” he said.

The Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pasquale Salvaggio, emphasized the significance of the deal, saying it reflects the deepening ties between the two nations.

“Code sharing is important because it allows for an airline to place their designator codes on a flight operated by another airline and then to sell tickets on that flight, offering passengers a seamless journey on one ticket,” Salvaggio stated.

The agreement comes months after both countries began discussions in July 2024 on the possibility of launching direct flights and expanding business collaboration in the aviation industry.

With this development, passengers traveling between Nigeria and Canada are expected to benefit from more travel options, streamlined ticketing, and improved flight connectivity.