The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Tuesday confirmed that Nigeria has signed the amended Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in furtherance of the two countries’ drive for improved aviation services.
A statement signed by the minister’s Special Assistant Media, Tunde Moshood, indicated that the revised BASA pact was signed during the minister’s meeting with UAE’s Minister of Economy, Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, at the sidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Global Implementation Support Symposium 2025 held in Abu Dhabi.
Hosted by Director-General of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, the ICAO GISS 2025 was attended by over 35 ministers, industry stakeholders from 191 countries, 1,500 aviation professionals, and 70 exhibitors.
The minister’s aide stated that the signing of the amended BASA was a follow up to last year’s negotiations between the Nigerian and UAE aviation authorities to ensure reciprocal rights for both countries and foster deeper aviation collaboration.
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He disclosed that during the signing of the agreement, the Nigerian minister stressed the importance of enhancing connectivity between Nigeria and the UAE, with a focus on expanding codeshare agreements and interlining opportunities for Nigerian airlines.
Moshood clarified that aside the BASA agreement, Keyamo canvassed the review of UAE’s visa restrictions on Nigerians, pointing out that moderating the current conditions would increase passenger traffic on designated routes, benefiting both nations’ economies.
The statement reads: “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”, it added.
