The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has proposed Nigerian carrier XEJET as a potential partner for Namibia in its bid to establish direct flights between the two countries.
Keyamo made the suggestion during a meeting with the Namibian Ambassador to Nigeria, Humphrey Geiseb, as disclosed in a statement by the minister’s aide, Tunde Moshood, on Thursday.
During the visit, Geiseb revealed that Namibia is currently in discussions with Air Peace to restore direct air connectivity with Nigeria. However, he did not provide details on the stage of negotiations but reiterated his country’s keen interest in collaborating with Nigerian airlines.
“Our country desires to partner with Nigerian airlines to restore direct connectivity, citing ongoing discussions with Air Peace,” Geiseb stated. He also encouraged Keyamo to engage domestic carriers to explore potential partnerships.
Recalling the historical significance of Air Namibia’s past operations between the two nations, Geiseb noted that the national airline once connected Lagos and Accra, facilitating travel between Nigeria and Namibia. However, financial difficulties led to the carrier’s collapse despite a government bailout.
He lamented the current challenges in direct travel between Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, and Nigeria, as passengers must transit through Addis Ababa. While occasional flights via TAG Airlines exist, he noted that they are infrequent and fail to meet demand.
In response, Keyamo expressed support for improving air connectivity, citing his personal experiences with regional flight challenges. He referenced the recently established Algeria-Lagos-Cameroon flight route, which came to fruition after an initiative by the Algerian Ambassador.
The minister highlighted XEJET, a rising Nigerian airline currently operating Sierra Leone’s national carrier, Air Sierra Leone, as a viable partner for the Namibia-Nigeria route.
Geiseb assured Keyamo that he would engage Namibia’s Minister of Aviation to facilitate further discussions and strengthen aviation cooperation between both nations.
Additionally, Keyamo raised concerns over visa-related difficulties between Nigeria and Namibia, recalling his own challenges in obtaining a visa despite holding a diplomatic passport. He urged the ambassador to address the issue to ease travel and enhance trade and investment relations.
Both officials agreed to collaborate on resolving these matters to boost bilateral ties between the two countries.
