President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration's commitment to deepening Nigeria-UK relations during a meeting with a British delegation at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday. The gathering marked 90 years of British Airways' operations in Nigeria, with the airline first launching services in 1936. Tinubu praised ongoing reforms in Nigeria's aviation sector, stating the country is working to meet global standards and enhance international connectivity. He cited efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria to clear overdue payments to foreign airlines as a move to restore confidence in the industry. The delegation included British High Commissioner Richard Montgomery and British Airways commercial officer Colm Lacy. Lacy described Nigeria as one of the airline's most profitable markets, emphasizing the strong people-to-people and commercial links between the two nations. He expressed appreciation for the support received from Nigerian aviation authorities. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo was acknowledged by Lacy for the airline's fleet upgrades on Nigerian routes. Keyamo, in turn, commended British Airways for adhering to the government's policy of serving Nigerian delicacies on outbound flights.
President Tinubu celebrates British Airways' 90-year presence in Nigeria while citing aviation reforms, yet the sector has operated for nearly a century under successive governments without achieving consistent global standards. The administration's focus on clearing airline debts contrasts with decades of systemic neglect that allowed such arrears to accumulate. Nigerian passengers have borne the cost of this mismanagement through poor infrastructure and unreliable services. Celebrating foreign airline loyalty does not address why local carriers struggle to survive.
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