Nigeria, Russia Review 1967 Bilateral Air Services Agreement

Nigeria on Friday met with the Russian Federation on the sidelines of the Third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, Russia, as both countries move to strengthen aviation relations and expand cooperation in the air transport sector.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, led Nigeria’s delegation to a high-level bilateral meeting.

At the meeting, the Nigerian delegation, led by Keyamo, held discussions with Dmitry Stanislavovich Zverev, who is the 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.

A major outcome of the meeting was the resolution by both sides to renegotiate the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and Russia, which dates back to 1967, with a view to establishing a new agreement that reflects contemporary developments and emerging opportunities in international aviation.

According to a statement by the aviation ministry, 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 the process, the two sides have constituted their respective negotiating teams to commence work immediately and ensure that the agreed timeline is met.

“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 statement signed by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood.

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,” the statement disclosed.

It added that both parties expressed their commitment to examining the opportunities in the coming months, with a view to deepening bilateral relations and identifying areas of shared interest in aviation and related sectors.