Nigeria and Canada have expanded their bilateral air transport framework, paving the way for scheduled direct air services between the two countries and creating new opportunities for passenger and cargo operations.

The agreement, signed on Thursday in Abuja, provides for multiple airlines from both countries to operate scheduled services and establishes capacity for passenger and cargo flights.

It also provides for up to 14 weekly passenger flights and 10 weekly all-cargo flights for designated airlines from each country.

The agreement is expected to improve air connectivity between Nigeria and Canada while supporting trade, tourism, education, investment and stronger people-to-people relations.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, was represented at the signing by the Director of Air Transport Management in the ministry, Mohammed Ahmed Tijjani.

Mr Tijjani signed the agreement with Canada’s Chief Air Negotiator for Global Affairs Canada, Shendra Melia, at the Canadian High Commission in Abuja.

The signing followed a technical review session in which officials from both countries examined the existing bilateral air services framework and agreed to expand it.

Shift towards direct connectivity

The new arrangement represents a significant expansion of the aviation relationship between Nigeria and Canada.

The two countries first negotiated an air transport agreement in 2014, but the framework was initially limited to code-sharing arrangements rather than direct scheduled flights.

The agreement was formally signed in March 2025, providing a framework for airlines to market services operated by partner carriers.

The latest expansion changes that framework by allowing designated airlines from both countries to operate scheduled services directly between Nigeria and Canada.

The agreement, therefore, provides the legal basis for airlines to pursue direct operations, although the signing itself does not mean such flights will begin immediately.

Airlines would still need to be designated by their respective governments and meet applicable regulatory, operational and commercial requirements before commencing services.

More opportunities for passengers and cargo

For travellers, direct scheduled services could reduce the need for connecting flights through third countries and make journeys between Nigeria and Canada more convenient.

The development could be particularly significant for Nigerians travelling to Canada for education, business, tourism and family visits, as well as Canadians travelling to Nigeria for business and other purposes.

As of 31 March 2026, more than 25,000 Nigerians held valid Canadian study permits, according to the information provided by the Federal Government, highlighting the importance of the education link between the two countries.

The agreement also provides a greater scope for cargo operations.

Under the expanded framework, designated airlines can operate up to 10 weekly all-cargo services, while fifth-freedom traffic rights have been granted for cargo operations.

Fifth-freedom rights allow an airline to carry traffic between two foreign countries as part of a service that originates from or terminates in the airline’s home country.

The provision could create additional options for moving goods through the two countries and strengthen commercial links between Nigerian and Canadian businesses.

Wider economic ties

The expanded aviation agreement comes as Nigeria and Canada seek to deepen economic relations beyond air travel.

Improved connectivity can support tourism, facilitate business travel, encourage investment and make it easier for people and goods to move between the two markets.

The Nigerian delegation at the signing included the Director of Air Transport Management, Mr Tijjani; the Director of Legal Services, Jummai Yahaya; and the Director of Air Transport Regulation at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Olayinka Babaoye-Iriobe.

The Canadian delegation was led by Ms Melia and included officials from Global Affairs Canada and Transport Canada.

READ ALSO: FG approves New York, Dubai, Canada routes for United Nigeria Airlines — Keyamo

The expanded framework gives airlines from both countries greater room to compete, as each country can designate multiple carriers rather than restricting scheduled operations to a single airline.

For Nigeria, the development also fits into the Federal Government’s wider effort to expand international air connectivity and secure new routes that can support tourism, trade and investment.

The agreement now provides the framework for airlines on both sides to pursue direct scheduled services, potentially bringing an end to years of reliance on connecting routes for travellers moving between Nigeria and Canada.

Vogue World is coming to San Francisco next year — perhaps another indication that tech billionaires have become leaders in the fashion zeitgeist.

Of course, the announcement of the enormous fashion/art/music event doesn’t say that. Instead, Anna Wintour wrote that Vogue believes in celebrating cities and “San Francisco is a city like none other.” 

“It’s a place of diverse communities living side by side, a place that loves the arts, loves creativity, and isn’t afraid of change.” She also noted the city’s history of rebelliousness and innovation.

“I love that San Francisco has always stood up for values and the things it believes in,” Wintour wrote. “Vogue World will support San Francisco’s creative minds and strengthen the entire ecosystem — and it will offer another opportunity to show San Francisco is on the rise.”

There were rumors that Vogue World would head to San Francisco after Winter was seen having meetings with the city’s mayor, Daniel Lurie.

Plus, in the past year, Wintour has cozied up to the most powerful names in tech, culminating in this year’s Met Gala, which saw Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchez, serve as lead sponsors for the event. Google’s Sergey Brin and Mark Zuckerberg were also spotted at the event (the latter’s first, that is). In fact, OpenAI bought a table, as did Meta and Snap (for $350,000 a pop). It’s true that TikTok, Apple, and Instagram previously sponsored the event, but the presence of the tech crowd this year was so much that the Met Gala this year was dubbed the “tech gala” in some places.

Last year, Vogue put Lauren Sanchez on the cover of the magazine after her wedding to the Amazon founder. To the fashion world, this was Wintour’s stamp of approval — not just for Sanchez’s ascent into the fashion world, but that tech and its leaders were worthy of cultural recognition.

Though Bezos and Sanchez reportedly live in Florida (and Amazon is, of course, headquartered in the Seattle area), there is no city more associated with tech than San Francisco. By locating Vogue World there, this is another indication of Wintour’s approval.

Vogue, as a media publication, is always following the money, and as a cultural bible, is always looking for ways to stay relevant. Turning toward the worldwide headquarters of AI, good or bad, is brilliant for business (and Wintour is nothing if not brilliant). 

But Vogue World was previously held in New York, London, Paris, and this year, Milan. Maybe because I live in an East Coast bubble, but I’ve not heard anyone in recent years refer to San Francisco as a beacon of style to rank alongside these other cities.  

While the city has a reputation as the land of the free-spirited bohemian, tech and its workers have a reputation for hoodies, Patagonia vests, and expensive athletic shoes, if they even dress up that much.

For instance, billionaire Alexandr Wang, who is now running Meta’s all-important Superintelligence Labs, just did an interview with Y Combinator’s Garry Tan in front of a packed stadium wearing a faded Nintendo T-shirt and what looked like a pair of Crocs. Comfy? Yes. High fashion? Decidedly no.

But maybe that’s changing. Wang’s boss, Mark Zuckerberg, who once always appeared in a plain gray T-shirt and jeans, has made efforts in recent years to become more fashionable. Zuck and his wife Priscilla Chan were spotted front row at a Prada show this season. The new campaign for Meta Glasses has a slew of celeb ambassadors and looks like it could be a Saint Laurent or Balenciaga ad.

OpenAI and Palantir have recently released merch collabs, playing on the minimalist style of tech workers (the merch line of the latter, I would argue, looks inspired by Virgil Abloh’s Off-White).

I concede that creatively there is much to be done with the understated, Northern California style. Surrounded by beautiful nature and cooler temperatures, plenty of fashion designers could be motivated by San Francisco’s tech industry. I look forward to seeing Claude-inspired terra cotta-colored gowns and Vogue-emblazoned quarter-zips soon.