- Nigeria narrows BASA deficit as Omni-Blu/Enugu Air get four weekly London frequencies, starts operations Dec 1
- Geer: Competition doesn't worry us with £17 billion investment in new aircraft, B787 retrofitting
- United Nigeria Airlines backs expansion drive with landmark ₦22bn capital raise
- CIBN confers prestigious Honorary Fellowship on FAAN MD, Onabanjo-Kuku
- Delta partners BRECAN for breast cancer awareness, early detection in Nigeria
Nigeria narrows BASA deficit as Omni-Blu/Enugu Air get four weekly London frequencies, starts operations Dec 1
Nigeria’s presence on the lucrative Lagos–London route has received a major boost, as Omni-Blu Aviation Limited has been granted flight rights to begin scheduled passenger operations starting December 1, 2026.
The airline will operate services to London Gatwick Airport in partnership with Enugu Air, according to the carrier’s promoters, who spoke with our correspondent on Wednesday.
This development brings the number of Nigerian carriers operating flights into London under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the United Kingdom to two.
The carrier’s entry follows the issuance of the UK and Northern Ireland Foreign Aircraft Operating Permit (Number FOP-2026-106430-001).
Issued under Article 250 of the Air Navigation Order 2016, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) permit authorises Omni-Blu Aviation Limited to operate international scheduled air services under the Air Transport Agreement between the UK and Nigeria.
Signed by David Kendrick on behalf of the UK CAA on November 4, 2026, the permit takes effect immediately and runs through March 27, 2027, covering the Lagos (DNMM) – London Gatwick (EGKK) – Lagos (DNMM) route.
“The frequency of the permitted services shall be consistent with the flight schedule included in the application received by the Civil Aviation Authority on 15/09/2026,” the official document made available to Aviation Metric.
The permit further detailed the operational structure for the flights, stipulating strict lease and aircraft conditions:
“The permitted services shall not be undertaken operating aircraft authorised under the terms of the Air Operator Certificates held by Omni-Blu Aviation Limited or Enugu Air Limited. The airline shall not operate the permitted services using aircraft leased from another airline unless specifically authorised by the Secretary of State.”
It added: “The permitted services shall be undertaken operating only aircraft registration CS-TGD authorised under the terms of the wet lease agreement held with EuroAtlantic Airways Transportes Aéreos, S.A.”
Under the current BASA framework, designated UK carriers—British Airways and Virgin Atlantic—are capped at a combined maximum of 21 weekly frequencies into Lagos and Abuja from London Heathrow. British Airways operates 14 of these weekly flights, while Virgin Atlantic accounts for the remaining seven.
In contrast, Nigeria has operated at a structural deficit. Before this authorisation, Air Peace was the sole Nigerian carrier operating direct services to London, using 13 weekly frequencies: seven from Lagos to London Gatwick, three from Abuja to Gatwick, and three from Abuja to Heathrow.
This left Nigeria eight frequencies short of the UK’s total of 21.
Omni-Blu will launch its initial operations with four weekly frequencies, narrowing the deficit and leaving four remaining unused frequencies available for Nigerian carriers to claim.
Google+