After a prolonged standoff, the United Kingdom has granted Nigeria’s Air Peace approval to operate direct flights to London’s Heathrow Airport, ending months of diplomatic tension and aviation policy disputes.

The announcement was made by Air Peace Chairman, Allen Onyema, who said the airline would commence daily direct flights between Abuja and Heathrow beginning October 26, 2025. The approval marks a major milestone for the Nigerian carrier, which had previously been restricted to operating flights to London Gatwick since launching UK services in March 2024.

The UK’s refusal to grant Heathrow access had stirred significant controversy. Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had openly criticized the British authorities for what he described as unfair treatment under the existing Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA). He argued that while UK airlines like British Airways and Virgin Atlantic enjoy full access to Nigeria’s main airports in Lagos and Abuja, Air Peace was being denied reciprocal rights to the UK’s primary aviation gateway.

In a strongly worded letter, Keyamo threatened to restrict British carriers from Nigerian airports if the situation was not addressed. The UK government, in response, cited late submission of slot requests by Air Peace as the reason for the initial denials, stating that by the time the airline applied, Heathrow’s slot allocation for both Summer and Winter 2024/2025 seasons had already closed.

Despite the diplomatic back-and-forth, the impasse has now been resolved. Onyema expressed gratitude to both the British authorities and Minister Keyamo for their roles in securing the new flight route.

“The British authorities have granted Air Peace access to Heathrow. We are grateful to them and to Minister Keyamo for his unwavering support,” Onyema told journalists. “From October 26, we’ll begin daily flights from Abuja to Heathrow.”

The development is seen as a major boost for Nigeria’s aviation sector and a step toward ensuring equal treatment for African carriers in global air travel.