The Federal Government has officially flagged off RwandaAir’s first dedicated cargo flight on the Nigeria–East and Southern Africa route, a development expected to boost intra-African trade, strengthen regional supply chains and expand market access for Nigerian exporters.
The inauguration, held in Lagos on Friday, was led by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole.
The event marked another step towards deepening economic integration across the continent under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The new cargo service is designed to provide exporters with faster and more efficient logistics links to markets in East and Southern Africa, particularly benefiting sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and non-oil exports.
Speaking during the ceremony, Keyamo described the launch as a significant milestone in the drive to unlock Africa’s enormous trade potential through improved air connectivity.
According to the minister, the initiative demonstrates the close relationship between aviation and economic development.
“We’re here with some of our exporters; this is where aviation interlines with trade and investment. This is in pursuit of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to promote trade and investment across Africa. I am excited to be here with my sister, the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, to supervise and launch this effort in support and consonance with the principles and letters of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). You cannot transform African trade without connecting Africa first,” he said.
Keyamo stressed that the successful commencement of the route underscores the Federal Government’s determination to position the aviation sector as a catalyst for economic growth, industrial development, trade facilitation and regional integration.
He noted that the cargo corridor is in line with the objectives of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), an initiative aimed at liberalising air transport services across the continent and removing long-standing barriers that have restricted connectivity and commercial exchanges among African nations.
The minister recalled his advocacy for the implementation of SAATM during the African Air Transport Expo held in Lomé, Togo, where he urged African countries to embrace open skies policies and seamless market access as key drivers of economic transformation.
He maintained that enhanced connectivity remains essential to the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), adding that stronger transport networks would pave the way for increased trade volumes and prosperity across the continent.
The Nigeria–East and Southern Africa air cargo route is expected to offer more reliable and efficient freight solutions for exporters, opening up new opportunities for businesses seeking to expand beyond the domestic market and penetrate emerging African markets.
The flag-off ceremony attracted top government officials, exporters, aviation industry stakeholders, trade representatives and executives of RwandaAir, all united in their commitment to building a more connected and economically integrated Africa through aviation.
The launch represents a major breakthrough in Nigeria’s efforts to leverage aviation as a tool for trade expansion and continental cooperation, while advancing the broader goals of economic diversification and sustainable growth envisioned under the Tinubu administration.
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