Air connectivity increases Nigeria, UAE trade volume

Air connectivity increases Nigeria, UAE trade volume

… Emirates celebrate 10 yrs in Nigeria

R-L: The Acting Director General, NCAA, Engr. Benedict Adeyileka; the MD/CEO, Goodnews Travels & Tours Limited and the Platinum Award winner of Top Agent

The coming of Emirates Airline into Nigeria ten years ago increased the value of bilateral trade between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E) from 106 million US Dollars at the start of Emirates’ services in 2004, to 857 million US Dollars in 2009. This represents a 710 percent increase in a five year period”.

This was revealed by Emirates’ Regional Manager for West Africa, Manoj Nair, at an event organized to mark the airline’s 10^th anniversary in Nigeria.

Nair said the 710 percent increase in a five year period is due mainly to the air connectivity between both countries. 

“Air connectivity between countries plays a major role in economic growth and development, and we are confident that travel, trade and business will continue to grow.”

He explained that Nigeria being Africa’s largest economy now is very important market to Emirates. “Since the start of our operations 10 years ago our services have grown significantly.

Nair disclosed that they started out with a four times weekly flight that was linked with Accra in Ghana, using an A330-200 aircraft, “whereas now we operate double daily flights between Dubai and Lagos with the  larger Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, and we will soon welcome Abuja and Kano to our network.”

“We are very excited about the launch of flights to Abuja and Kano, as this will provide Nigerian travelers even greater convenience and comfort to access our worldwide network through our Dubai hub, particularly to destinations in the Middle East and Asia Pacific. It will also further boost tourism and create business opportunities,” he added.

The airline used the event to appreciate its travel partners and customers for their contribution to their success in the past 10 years of operations in Nigeria. More than 20 awards across eight categories were presented to travel agents.

In the first category – Top Agent Award, GoodnewsTravels and Tours Limited won the Platinum Award while God’s Power Travel Agency went home with the Gold Award. With the Platinum Award, Goodnews Travels and Tours Limited grabbed two business class tickets to Dubai and two nights in Medinah Jumeirah while the Gold Award recipient got two business class tickets to Dubai and two nights in Atlantis De Palm. Aeroland Travels Nigeria Limited got silver.