The Venezuelan government has initiated discussions to establish direct flights between Venezuela and Nigeria through its national carrier, CONVIASA Airlines.
The disclosure was contained in a post made by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, via his official X page on Monday, where he revealed that the Venezuelan Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Alberto Castellar Padilla, visited his office in Abuja to relay the development.
Keyamo confirmed that the ambassador stated that CONVIASA Airlines is fully prepared to commence operations immediately and sought Nigeria’s cooperation for a smooth approval process.
“Earlier today, the Venezuelan Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Alberto Castellar Padilla undertook a working visit to my office in Abuja.
“We discussed plans by the Venezuelan government to establish direct flights between both countries, and he confirmed that Venezuela’s national carrier, CONVIASA AIRLINES, is fully prepared to commence operations immediately and sought our cooperation to make it seamless,” Keyamo wrote in part on X.
The post noted that in response, the Minister set up a joint committee comprising officials from the Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to accelerate regulatory approvals.
The initiative is expected to bolster diplomatic ties and open new opportunities for trade, tourism, and direct air connectivity between Nigeria and South America.
What you should know
Currently, no direct flight routes exist between Nigeria and any South American or Caribbean country in the Americas.
The Venezuelan government’s move to establish direct flights comes after several other commitments from countries in the region, signaling Nigeria’s growing role as a key aviation hub linking Africa with the Americas.
Recall that in February 2024, discussions on direct flights between Lagos and Sao Paulo took place during a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Addis Ababa.
- By October 2024, Nigeria and Brazil were in advanced talks to activate the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA), aimed at facilitating direct flights.
- In April 2025, Nigeria signed a BASA with Trinidad and Tobago, becoming the first African country to enter an aviation partnership with a Caribbean nation.
- These developments mark significant progress toward expanding Nigeria’s international air connectivity, which is expected to boost trade, tourism, and cultural exchange.
The approval and commencement of CONVIASA’s direct flights are expected to further strengthen these ties and open new avenues for economic cooperation.
Passengers and businesses should watch closely as these new routes take shape.
