KEY POINTS
- Nigeria and Russia will replace their 1967 air services agreement with a new framework.
- Negotiations are expected to conclude within six months.
- Both countries plan to sign the revised agreement in Saint Petersburg in April 2027.
Nigeria and Russia have agreed to review and renegotiate their Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), signed in 1967, to bring their aviation relationship in line with modern developments in the global aviation industry.
The decision was reached on Friday during a high-level bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the Third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, as both countries seek to strengthen cooperation and expand opportunities in the aviation sector.
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, led the Nigerian delegation, while Russia was represented by its State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Transport, Dmitry Stanislavovich Zverev.
A major outcome of the discussions was an agreement to develop a new bilateral air services framework that will replace the existing arrangement, which has been in place for nearly six decades.
Both countries acknowledged the need to update the agreement to reflect changes in international aviation, including evolving industry standards, air transport operations and opportunities for greater cooperation between their aviation sectors.
According to a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the two countries have agreed to complete negotiations and sign the revised agreement within six months.
The signing is expected to take place in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in April 2027.
To ensure the process moves forward without delay, Nigeria and Russia have already constituted separate negotiating teams, which are expected to begin work immediately.
The ministry said the proposed agreement would establish a modern framework for bilateral air transport relations, while creating opportunities for improved connectivity, stronger institutional partnerships and mutually beneficial engagement between the two countries.
Nigeria, Russia seek stronger aviation cooperation
Beyond the proposed review of the bilateral air services agreement, both delegations discussed other areas where Nigeria and Russia could deepen cooperation in aviation and related sectors.
The discussions reflected a shared commitment to strengthening existing diplomatic and economic relations, with both sides expressing interest in identifying areas of common interest that could deliver benefits to their respective aviation industries.
The Nigerian delegation included the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Chris Najomo, and the Registrar of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Dr Danjuma Adamu Ismaila.
Other participants included directors from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the NCAA.
Their participation highlights the involvement of Nigeria’s aviation regulatory and training institutions in discussions that could shape future cooperation between the two countries.
The planned renegotiation comes as countries increasingly seek to update longstanding aviation agreements to accommodate changes in international air transport and create better conditions for cooperation.
Nigeria’s existing agreement with Russia dates back to 1967, making its proposed replacement a significant step towards modernising the legal and institutional framework governing aviation relations between both countries.
