Kenya Airways begins direct Nairobi-Abuja flight

Kenyan Airways has inaugurated a direct flight from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Nairobi, to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The direct flights will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Chief Edem Duke, Nigeria’s minister of culture and tourism, described the development as “windows and wide doors of opportunities” to enhance trade and commerce between people of both countries.

“It is a flight of a new hope, the hope of a new and enterprising relationship between the biggest economy in Africa and the most vibrant economy in east Africa,” he said.

He expressed optimism that the development would strengthen the bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Kenya, urging the media in both countries to exercise restraint in reporting security challenges confronting them.

“We must change the narratives about our two countries: the narratives about the challenges in Kenya, and the narratives about the challenges in Nigeria,” Duke said.

“We must make the warmth and the hospitality of our people, the assets that nature has endowed us with, the stories of positivity, the achievements of our leaders; those must be the stories we convey to the world.”

In a similar manner, Mr. Michael Kamau, the cabinet secretary, ministry of transport of Kenya, urged the African media not to join those “stripping” their countries naked.

“If you find that your parents are naked, you don’t tell the world to pay attention to their nakedness,” he said.

“Let’s put back the clothes on Africa. For a long time, Africa has been dressed down; was dressed down culturally and economically, and we cannot at this stage after 50 years of independence in Africa take over from where the others left.”

The Nairobi-Abuja connection comes two weeks after Ethiopian Airlines resumed its flight to the Nigeria’s commercial city of Kano 10 years after it suspended fights to the city because of bad weather.