Air Tanzania has commenced direct flight from Dares Salaam to Lagos,Nigeria.
This has reduced the geographical distance from East and West Africa, strengthen connectivity, cooperation and shared prosperity between the two nations.
Speaking at the Air Tanzania inauguration at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, United Republic of Tanzania, Professor Godius Kahyarara said the choice of Nigeria was to open doors for increased investment opportunities and strong people to people ties.
A Landmark Development
Professor Kahyarara said that the direct flight between both countries is a landmark development because of Nigeria’s position as the biggest economy in Africa.
He said that Nigeria’s great influence in the ECOWAS region gives it the right of the first country to be considered for the first direct flight from Tanzania.
Professor Kahyarara said that Air Tanzania has been flying South, East and North Africa, but now with Nigeria, it would be easier to connect within the period of 5 and half hours instead of previous 10 hours.
The Permanent Secretary assured Nigerians of sustainability of their operations with rousing patronage as market allows.
He said while looking at expansion of the airlift to other West African countries like Accra Ghana and Abidjan in Ivory Coast. He said they were also considering other destinations within Nigeria.
” There are a lot of opportunities and benefits for Nigeria because of the large market nature of the country and being the giant of Africa, Nigeria would experience a good turn around that will contribute to its transformation agenda through the direct flight agreement with Air Tanzania”.
Speaking in the same vein, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Air Tanzania Company Limited, Peter Ulanga underscored the importance of the direct flight from Dares Salaam in Tanzania to Lagos, provides opportunities to Nigerian tourists to visit places of interest like the Mount Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and many others.
He said that Dares Salaam route offers cheaper opportunity and alternative for Nigeria to target other parts of the continent and the rest of the world.
Also speaking, the country manager of Air Tanzania, Mohammed Ngamanya said direct flight between both nations was long overdue.
Mohammed noted that the choice of Nigeria would help to promote education, investment opportunities, tourism and commerce inline with the new African Continental Free Trade Agenda, now being implemented.
Bridging Distance between Countries
The Director General, Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Jubrin Baba Ndace said the direct flight agreement from Tanzania to Nigeria helps to bridge the distance between both countries in air travels, reduce cost of air transportation and elevate both countries as major aviation hubs within the two regions.
Mallam Ndace described the agreement as a welcomed development which reduces the flight time between both countries to just about five hours as against the previous ten hours by connection through other routes.
He declared that Voice of Nigeria in its core mandate would continue to support, promote and propagate positive narrative of Nigeria and Africa in the presentation of developments on the continent from an African perspectives for a more accurate delivery of facts to the world.
The Voice of Nigeria DG said that Nigeria as a nation cannot be ignored, being the largest African economy and population.
Historic Moment
The Voice of Nigeria DG said that Nigeria as a nation cannot be ignored, being the largest African economy and population.
He said ” there’s no country in the world that can ignore Nigeria particularly now that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu under his “Renewed Hope Agenda” is repositioning Nigeria to make the environment conducive for thriving businesses.”
According to him, “As Voice of Nigeria, we remain very committed, intentional and unapologetic to position Nigeria to tell positive narratives about Nigeria and Nigerians, Africa and Africans. This is a win win for us”.
Also read more : http://von.gov.ng
“The reason VON came to be part of this historic moment is the partnership that exists between it and Tanzania Broadcasting Service.
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