US, Nigeria trade hits $10bn as Delta begins Lagos-New York flights

As the United States-based airline, Delta Air Lines returned its operations at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos to pre-pandemic levels, it has been revealed that the trade relations between Nigeria and the United State has hit $10bn.

This comes as the airline launched nonstop service between the capital and New York-JFK four times a week.

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Before now, the airline operated daily flights between its base in Atlanta to Lagos, as it is the sole airline from Nigeria that operates direct flights to Lagos, Nigeria from Atlanta, Georgia.

The flight from New York-JFK joins Delta’s existing daily service to Atlanta, which restarted last September following a short suspension due to the airport’s closure at the height of the pandemic.

The choice of non-stop services to Delta’s largest hubs enables customers to connect onto flights to 130 destinations across the U.S. within four hours of arrival in either Atlanta or New York with a view to facilitating trades between the countries.

Data from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative shows that the value of U.S. goods and services trade with Nigeria totaled an estimated $10.4 billion in 2019 with exports valued at $5.3 billion and imports into the U.S. worth $5.1 billion.

U.S. foreign direct investment in Nigeria was $5.5 billion in 2019, a 21.5% increase from 2018.

Delta flies Airbus A330-200 aircraft to Nigeria, which include Delta One business class, complete with fully flat-bed seats and aisle access for all, as well as Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin.

Delta’s Commercial Director, Africa, Bobby Bryan in a statement said, “Delta is the longest-serving U.S. airline in Nigeria and the country remains an important market for us.”

Facilitating trade, as well as providing valuable air links for families and friends to re-connect is key to our mission here in Nigeria and around the globe. Never has this been more important as the world recovers from the pandemic.”

The additional service from New York also provides cargo customers with increased capacity for the safe transportation of cargo from Nigeria. With short connection times in New York, cargo can be swiftly forwarded to destinations throughout the U.S. and beyond.

Delta’s flights to Lagos, which have been in operation since 2007, support the continued economic and trade ties between Nigeria and the U.S.. Data from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative shows that the value of U.S. goods and services trade with Nigeria totaled an estimated $10.4 billion in 2019 with exports valued at $5.3 billion and imports into the U.S. worth $5.1 billion.