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……as both countries aim to strengthen bilateral relations

By Favour Ulebor, Abuja

To strengthen bilateral relations between Tunisia and Nigeria, the Ambassador, Republic of Tunisia to Nigeria, Moshen Antit, has said direct flights between Tunisia and Nigeria are projected to begin in 2026.

He said this during a press briefing with journalists on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said the introduction of direct flights is crucial for facilitating closer business, political, and cultural interactions, adding that Improved air connectivity is expected to ease travel for both business people and tourists, thereby strengthening economic and diplomatic relations.

Mohsen said, flights between Nigeria and Tunisia are primarily operated by non-African airlines,and the only African airline to offer a direct link recently is Morocco’s Royal Air Maroc, which launched a flight between Abuja and Casablanca in June 2024.

According to him, the  initiative aims to improve accessibility and foster stronger economic and cultural ties between the two nations; adding that the plan is still in development, as both countries are committed to working together to ensure its successful implementation.

He said “So we are in North Africa, you are in the West, but the distance is not too far because we are obliged today to take two flights in order to move to Tunisia. So it’s very contradictory. It’s very contradictory; So this has to change.

“And we are working on an airline, of course, between Tunisia and Nigeria in order for our affairs and our relationship to be more effective. So I dealt with the same question with President Tinubu when I met him in April 2024 about this question; and we convinced one another, that an air flight is compulsory to make the two peoples nearer to one another.

“So it’s scheduled to be effective in 2026, but we should work hard in order to make sure that Nigeria is part and parcel of this project with Tunisia, Nigeria will not be the only flight of course to be added to to the web of flights, but we should work together to concretize it.” he said.

Moshen said a delegation made up of more than 20 businessmen will come to Nigeria in Abuja for the organization of a multisectoral economic forum, which falls within the framework of keenness to strengthen bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries in the economic and investment fields.

He said, “The Tunisian delegation that will participate in the forum is the first of its kind and in its size. They will come from Tunisia to Nigeria; Tunisia wants to develop the relationship with the countries of Western Africa. I mean, this region is very important, and Nigeria is making what we call the biggest country in this region, the richest one, and the biggest economy in Africa, if we would say.

“This is, of course, due to human potential in this region and significant economic potential and favorable climates for investment and attracting businessmen to our country, and vice versa, of course, to attract businessmen from Nigeria to Tunisia or from Tunisia to Nigeria. This event will also be an opportunity, because it’s the first in its kind, to make up a mixture and an assembly of Nigerian and Tunisian businessmen assembled together, meeting together in the same place, in the accreditation country, which is Nigeria, to move away from, I mean, virtual relationship with which the world of affairs today and industry and investment were accustomed to.

“Today, it’s better, of course, to deal face to face, to organize B to B meetings between businessmen in both countries is to deal with weighted input from one or output from one another, which will in itself be one of the main assets to enhance investments between the two brotherly countries.The potential of the two parts is really enormous. The Nigerian and Tunisians are convinced today that in many economic sectors and fields, they will be completing one another in a spirit of brotherhood and common good faith. So this is in general, of course, the basis of the relationship or international relations as far as Tunisia and Nigeria are concerned;”  Moshen said.