Senate rejects move to revive Nigeria Airways, Air Nigeria
AI Executive Briefing
Verified Synthesis~38s readUrges FG to re-ajudge BASA agreement for Nigeria Air services fly directly to China *** Says we should not waste time on dead issues; calls for a national carrier with Nigeria’s flag *** We can’t revive what is already dead, Akpabio. By Henry Umoru, Abuja The Senate has rejected calls for the revival of Nigeria Airways and Air Nigeria while it urged the Federal Government to renegotiate and enforce Nigeria’s Bilateral Air Services agreement, BASA, with China to allow Nigerian airlines to operate direct flights to the Asian country.
Context & Background
- ✦Monguno said that the Senate notes that the Administration of the late former President Muhmmadu Buhari, Nigeria-China, signed a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) to establish a direct commercial air link and govern flight frequencies; “Also notes that the volume of trade between Nigeria and China reached $18 billion in the first half of 2025 (a 35% increase year-on-year, building on a total of $28 billion recorded in 2026); “Aware that the BASA instrument is intended to establish a direct scheduled Nigeria-China flight that would transform Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, from mere origin/destination points into the primary gateway linking West and Central Africa to East Asia; “Also aware that the population of Nigerians in China is more than 1,000,000 people, while that of China in Nigeria is more than 5,000,000, and this has generated the interest of China in Nigeria because it is Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy, offering massive markets on the African continent; “Further aware that the benefits of enforcing such a bilateral agreement will reduce drastically travel time and increase supply chain velocity, retention of foreign exchange (capital flight reduction), aeronautical revenues for Nigerian gateways, increase commercial SME growth and non-oil export expansion, and accelerated perishable exports, among other benefits; “Appreciates that the utilisation of BASA between Nigeria and China will actualise the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Ahmed Bola in facilitating the ease of doing business in Nigeria, enhancing bilateral and diplomatic relationships, creating massive employment (both direct and indirect jobs), and opening up export opportunities; “Acknowledges that what is urgently required to enforce such a fantastic Air Agreement lies across the Executive Policy instrument from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Customs Service; and “Notes that enforcing the BASA instrument between Nigeria and China, the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the NCAA hold direct regulatory levers by enforcing strict BASA reciprocity, rationalising sixth freedom competition, bilateral code-share mandates, temporary airport fee waivers, direct Naira settlement window using the existing bilateral currency swap framework, bypassing the US dollar, among other enforcing mechanisms.” In his contribution, Senator Abdul Ningi, Bauchi Central, argued that Nigeria was not receiving commensurate benefits from its relationship with China, despite the Asian country’s growing influence in the global economy.
Key Figures & Named Entities
Tuesday:Resolutions of the Senate on Tuesday were a sequel to a motion titled “Enforcing the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA)”.2023:Recall that the plane unveiled as Nigeria Air in May 2023 was alleged to be a chartered Ethiopian Airlines aircraft leased for just a 72-hour display before being flown back to Addis Ababa.2025:Monguno said that the Senate notes that the Administration of the late former President Muhmmadu Buhari, Nigeria-China, signed a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) to establish a direct commercial air link and govern flight frequencies; “Also notes that the volume of trade between Nigeria and China reached $18 billion in the first half of 2025 (a 35% increase year-on-year, building on a total of $28 billion recorded in 2026); “Aware that the BASA instrument is intended to establish a direct scheduled Nigeria-China flight that would transform Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, from mere origin/destination points into the primary gateway linking West and Central Africa to East Asia; “Also aware that the population of Nigerians in China is more than 1,000,000 people, while that of China in Nigeria is more than 5,000,000, and this has generated the interest of China in Nigeria because it is Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy, offering massive markets on the African continent; “Further aware that the benefits of enforcing such a bilateral agreement will reduce drastically travel time and increase supply chain velocity, retention of foreign exchange (capital flight reduction), aeronautical revenues for Nigerian gateways, increase commercial SME growth and non-oil export expansion, and accelerated perishable exports, among other benefits; “Appreciates that the utilisation of BASA between Nigeria and China will actualise the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Ahmed Bola in facilitating the ease of doing business in Nigeria, enhancing bilateral and diplomatic relationships, creating massive employment (both direct and indirect jobs), and opening up export opportunities; “Acknowledges that what is urgently required to enforce such a fantastic Air Agreement lies across the Executive Policy instrument from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Customs Service; and “Notes that enforcing the BASA instrument between Nigeria and China, the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the NCAA hold direct regulatory levers by enforcing strict BASA reciprocity, rationalising sixth freedom competition, bilateral code-share mandates, temporary airport fee waivers, direct Naira settlement window using the existing bilateral currency swap framework, bypassing the US dollar, among other enforcing mechanisms.” In his contribution, Senator Abdul Ningi, Bauchi Central, argued that Nigeria was not receiving commensurate benefits from its relationship with China, despite the Asian country’s growing influence in the global economy.
Outlook & Next Steps
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Key Takeaways
Verified Extract- Urges FG to re-ajudge BASA agreement for Nigeria Air services fly directly to China *** Says we should not waste time on dead issues; calls for a national carrier with Nigeria’s flag *** We can’t revive what is already dead, Akpabio.
- By Henry Umoru, Abuja The Senate has rejected calls for the revival of Nigeria Airways and Air Nigeria while it urged the Federal Government to renegotiate and enforce Nigeria’s Bilateral Air Services agreement, BASA, with China to allow Nigerian airlines to operate direct flights to the Asian country.
- Monguno said that the Senate notes that the Administration of the late former President Muhmmadu Buhari, Nigeria-China, signed a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) to establish a direct commercial air link and govern flight frequencies; “Also notes that the volume of trade between Nigeria and China reached $18 billion in the first half of 2025 (a 35% increase year-on-year, building on a total of $28 billion recorded in 2026); “Aware that the BASA instrument is intended to establish a direct scheduled Nigeria-China flight that would transform Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, from mere origin/destination points into the primary gateway linking West and Central Africa to East Asia; “Also aware that the population of Nigerians in China is more than 1,000,000 people, while that of China in Nigeria is more than 5,000,000, and this has generated the interest of China in Nigeria because it is Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy, offering massive markets on the African continent; “Further aware that the benefits of enforcing such a bilateral agreement will reduce drastically travel time and increase supply chain velocity, retention of foreign exchange (capital flight reduction), aeronautical revenues for Nigerian gateways, increase commercial SME growth and non-oil export expansion, and accelerated perishable exports, among other benefits; “Appreciates that the utilisation of BASA between Nigeria and China will actualise the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Ahmed Bola in facilitating the ease of doing business in Nigeria, enhancing bilateral and diplomatic relationships, creating massive employment (both direct and indirect jobs), and opening up export opportunities; “Acknowledges that what is urgently required to enforce such a fantastic Air Agreement lies across the Executive Policy instrument from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Customs Service; and “Notes that enforcing the BASA instrument between Nigeria and China, the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the NCAA hold direct regulatory levers by enforcing strict BASA reciprocity, rationalising sixth freedom competition, bilateral code-share mandates, temporary airport fee waivers, direct Naira settlement window using the existing bilateral currency swap framework, bypassing the US dollar, among other enforcing mechanisms.” In his contribution, Senator Abdul Ningi, Bauchi Central, argued that Nigeria was not receiving commensurate benefits from its relationship with China, despite the Asian country’s growing influence in the global economy.
Key Facts:Tuesday: Resolutions of the Senate on Tuesday were a sequel to a motion titled “Enforcing the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA)”.2023: Recall that the plane unveiled as Nigeria Air in May 2023 was alleged to be a chartered Ethiopian Airlines aircraft leased for just a 72-hour display before being flown back to Addis Ababa.2025: Monguno said that the Senate notes that the Administration of the late former President Muhmmadu Buhari, Nigeria-China, signed a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) to establish a direct commercial air link and govern flight frequencies; “Also notes that the volume of trade between Nigeria and China reached $18 billion in the first half of 2025 (a 35% increase year-on-year, building on a total of $28 billion recorded in 2026); “Aware that the BASA instrument is intended to establish a direct scheduled Nigeria-China flight that would transform Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, from mere origin/destination points into the primary gateway linking West and Central Africa to East Asia; “Also aware that the population of Nigerians in China is more than 1,000,000 people, while that of China in Nigeria is more than 5,000,000, and this has generated the interest of China in Nigeria because it is Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy, offering massive markets on the African continent; “Further aware that the benefits of enforcing such a bilateral agreement will reduce drastically travel time and increase supply chain velocity, retention of foreign exchange (capital flight reduction), aeronautical revenues for Nigerian gateways, increase commercial SME growth and non-oil export expansion, and accelerated perishable exports, among other benefits; “Appreciates that the utilisation of BASA between Nigeria and China will actualise the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Ahmed Bola in facilitating the ease of doing business in Nigeria, enhancing bilateral and diplomatic relationships, creating massive employment (both direct and indirect jobs), and opening up export opportunities; “Acknowledges that what is urgently required to enforce such a fantastic Air Agreement lies across the Executive Policy instrument from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Customs Service; and “Notes that enforcing the BASA instrument between Nigeria and China, the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the NCAA hold direct regulatory levers by enforcing strict BASA reciprocity, rationalising sixth freedom competition, bilateral code-share mandates, temporary airport fee waivers, direct Naira settlement window using the existing bilateral currency swap framework, bypassing the US dollar, among other enforcing mechanisms.” In his contribution, Senator Abdul Ningi, Bauchi Central, argued that Nigeria was not receiving commensurate benefits from its relationship with China, despite the Asian country’s growing influence in the global economy.
Editorial Excerpt
The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said, "We can't revive what is already dead." Instead, the leadership advised...
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Urges FG to re-ajudge BASA agreement for Nigeria Air services fly directly to China *** Says we should not waste time on dead issues; calls for a national carrier with Nigeria’s flag *** We can’t revive what is already dead, Akpabio.
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The primary parties identified in this coverage include All Progressives Congress, Federal Capital Territory, National Assembly of Nigeria.
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Resolutions of the Senate on Tuesday were a sequel to a motion titled “Enforcing the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA)”.
