Israel has approved nonstop flights from Nigeria, with Air Peace, owned by Nigerian businessman Allen Onyema, beginning the flights on April 20, 2023.
On Sunday, March 26, 2023, Israel’s Transport Minister, Miri Regev, announced the approval, saying that the aviation deal would connect Israel’s city of Tel Aviv to Nigeria’s cities of Lagos and Abuja.
According to reports, the aviation agreement will make Air Peace Nigeria’s national carrier during the Christian pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Prior to the aviation deal between the governments of Nigeria and Israel, flights to the latter often stop at Turkey or Ethiopia for connecting transit to Israel.
Air Peace will be able to fly to Israel without stopping in Turkey or Ethiopia now that the direct flights have been approved.
In response to the addition of a new route to its list of destinations, Onyema stated that the initial frequency to Israel will be two weekly flights.
Onyema, who is also the Chairman and CEO of Air Peace, added that the frequency will increase in the future.
He stated that Air Peace, which serves about 30 destinations, is ready to transport passengers and cargo during the inaugural and subsequent flights between Nigeria and Israel. Also, Regev said the aviation agreement will foster business growth between both countries, adding that it “will contribute to the strengthening of the business and cultural ties between the nations and between the governments.”
The transport minister also stated that Nigeria “maintains close ties with Israel in a wide variety of fields, alongside heavy traffic of pilgrims coming to Israel to visit the holy places in Christianity.”
Air Peace also travels to London, India, and China, and has previously airlifted Nigerians to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before the Arabian country imposed flight restrictions on Nigerians.
The airline also serves seven African countries, including Ghana, Liberia, Gambia, and Sierra Leone.
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