Canada and Nigeria have expanded their air transport agreement to pave the way for direct scheduled flights between both countries, with the new arrangement expected to boost trade, tourism, investment and people-to-people connections.

The expanded agreement allows airlines from each country to operate up to 14 passenger flights and 10 all-cargo flights weekly.

It also introduces fifth-freedom rights for cargo services, allowing airlines to carry traffic between two foreign countries on a route connected to their home country.

Canada’s Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Steven MacKinnon, announced the development, describing it as an opportunity to improve connectivity while creating new prospects for Canadian airlines.

According to MacKinnon, the expanded arrangement would give travellers more options while strengthening the economic relationship between the two countries.

Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, said the agreement would further deepen commercial ties with Nigeria, which he described as an increasingly important market for Canadian businesses.

Sidhu pointed to Nigeria’s growing economy and expanding industries as areas of opportunity for Canadian businesses and workers, adding that improved air connectivity would also strengthen links between families and communities in both countries.

The Canadian government said Nigeria’s population of more than 237 million, combined with its youthful population and entrepreneurial base, makes it an important market for Canada.

The depth of the relationship is also reflected in educational ties, with more than 25,000 Nigerians holding Canadian study permits as of March 31, 2026.

Transport Canada identified Nigeria as Canada’s 38th-largest international air transport market in 2025 and its third-largest bilateral air market in Africa, after Morocco and Algeria.

The two countries’ air transport market has more than doubled over the past decade, highlighting the expansion of commercial, educational and community links between Canada and Nigeria.

The latest development represents the first major expansion of the bilateral air transport arrangement since 2014.

The original agreement, negotiated in 2014 and signed in March 2025, was restricted to code-share operations. The expanded provisions now establish a framework for airlines from both countries to operate direct scheduled passenger and cargo services.

The increased cargo rights could facilitate the movement of goods between the two markets and support efforts by both countries to expand trade and diversify their economic partnerships.

The agreement also permits each country to designate multiple airlines, potentially increasing competition and providing passengers and cargo operators with more options when the new services become operational.

The Canadian government said the expansion forms part of its broader strategy of strengthening international air connectivity and improving access for travellers and businesses.

Canada currently has air transport agreements or arrangements with more than 125 countries.