Nigeria and Russia to Update Old Aviation Deal

Nigeria and Russia have decided to change a 59-year-old aviation agreement. This move is meant to improve air transport ties and boost connections between the two nations.

The plan to renegotiate the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) from 1967 was made during a meeting. Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, spoke with Russian officials at the Third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow.

Mr Keyamo shared this news in a post on his X account on Friday. He mentioned that both countries aim to finish negotiations within six months and sign a new agreement in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in April 2027.

He said the Nigerian team met with Dmitry Stanislavovich Zverev, the State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation. “We resolved to renegotiate our last Bilateral Air Service Agreement that was made in 1967. We set a timeline of six months to conclude the negotiations and sign a new one in Saint Petersburg in April 2027,” Mr Keyamo said.

He also noted that both countries have set up teams to start work on the agreement during this time. The renegotiation is expected to update the rules for air transport between Nigeria and Russia. This will reflect changes in the international aviation industry over the last sixty years.

A Bilateral Air Services Agreement lays out the legal framework for scheduled air services between two countries. It usually defines conditions for airlines from both nations to operate international flights. This includes routes, traffic rights, and other operational details.

Nigeria’s Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development claims that its Air Transport Management Department handles new and existing air services agreements and checks their execution. The ministry also teams up with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and other aviation agencies to improve international air links and monitor airline activities.

Replacing the Nigeria-Russia aviation agreement could lead to better air connections and teamwork between their aviation sectors. But Mr Keyamo and the ministry did not share details about potential flight routes, airlines, or how often flights might operate under the new agreement.

Besides the aviation deal, Mr Keyamo mentioned that the meeting looked into other areas for cooperation between Nigeria and Russia. He stated that both sides plan to seek more opportunities in the coming months.

The Nigerian delegation included the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Capt Chris Najomo, and the Registrar of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Dr Danjuma Adamu Ismaila. Directors from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the NCAA were also part of the talks.

Nigeria and Russia have had diplomatic ties since shortly after Nigeria’s independence in 1960. Their relationship covers various fields such as defense, trade, science, and technology.

The Nigerian Embassy in Russia notes that the Soviet Union provided military and political help to Nigeria during the Civil War from 1967 to 1970. Cooperation has also included space technology, like launching Nigeria’s satellites on Russian rockets in 2011.

The planned change to the aviation agreement is part of broader efforts to strengthen ties and find more areas to work together. Both countries will start talks through their teams, hoping to finish the process and sign the new deal in Saint Petersburg in April 2027.