Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has signed the amended Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.
A statement by the minister’s media aide, Tunde Moshood, said that the amendment was signed during a meeting with UAE’s Minister of Economy, Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, at the sideline of the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Global Implementation Support Symposium 2025, solidifying mutual aviation ties between both nations.
The ICAO GISS 2025, hosted by Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, brought together more than 35 ministers, 191 countries, 1,500 aviation professionals, and 70 exhibitors at the Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi.
According to the statement, the signing of the amended BASA builds on last year’s negotiations to ensure reciprocal rights for both countries and foster deeper aviation collaboration.
It added that during the signing of the agreement, Keyamo emphasised the importance of enhancing connectivity between Nigeria and the UAE, with a focus on expanding codeshare agreements and interlining opportunities for Nigerian airlines.
The statement said that the UAE’s Minister of Economy hailed Nigeria’s aviation minister as saying that “Let me say this on camera now, the Nigeria Aviation Minister is a man who keeps his words, and for us, that’s everything,” acknowledging his commitment to advancing Nigeria-UAE aviation relations.
Beyond the BASA agreement, Moshood said Nigeria’s aviation minister advocated for a review of UAE’s visa restrictions on Nigerians, stressing that easing the current conditions would increase passenger traffic on designated routes, benefiting both nations’ economies.
“In a further boost to bilateral relations, both countries agreed to sign a Technical Cooperation Agreement focusing on capacity building and technical support in key aviation areas, including safety and regulatory, environment, airport facilitation, and security.
“This cooperation reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to elevating its aviation sector to global best practices while deepening ties with international partners.
“The minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to work closely with the UAE to implement these agreements effectively, ensuring that both nations maximise the economic and operational benefits of this strengthened partnership,” the statement said.
GIK/APA