Nigeria and Russia, at the weekend, agreed to renegotiate the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) they both signed in 1967.
The agreement, according to the countries, is being renegotiated with a view to establishing a new agreement that reflects contemporary developments and emerging opportunities in international aviation.
This plan was concluded during a meeting between Nigeria’s delegation led by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo and the Russian Federation on the sidelines of the Third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, Russia, as both countries moved to strengthen aviation relations and expand cooperation in the air transport sector.
At the meeting, the delegation held discussions with Dmitry Stanislavovich Zverev, State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation, on the need to modernise the existing framework governing air services between the two countries.
Both countries agreed on a six-month timeline to conclude the negotiations and sign the new agreement in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in April 2027. To facilitate this process, the two sides have constituted their respective negotiating teams to commence work immediately and ensure that the agreed timeline is met.
A statement signed by Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister, noted that the proposed agreement is expected to provide an updated framework for bilateral air transport relations and create opportunities for enhanced connectivity, closer institutional collaboration and mutually beneficial engagement between the aviation sectors of both countries.
The Nigerian delegation included the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo, the Registrar of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Dr. Danjuma Adamu Ismaila as well as directors from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the NCAA.
Beyond the review of the existing air services agreement, the meeting also explored other potential areas of cooperation between Nigeria and Russia.
Both parties expressed their commitment to examining these opportunities in the coming months, with a view to deepening bilateral relations and identifying areas of shared interest in aviation and related sectors.
