Nigeria and Russia have agreed to renegotiate their 1967 Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) as both countries seek to strengthen aviation relations and expand cooperation in the air transport sector.
The agreement followed a high-level bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the Third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow on Friday.
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, led the country’s delegation to the meeting, where they held discussions with Russia’s State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Transport, Dmitry Stanislavovich Zverev.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, both countries agreed to review the existing agreement to establish a new framework that reflects developments and emerging opportunities in international aviation.
The two countries also agreed on a six-month timeline to conclude negotiations and sign the revised agreement in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in April 2027.
To facilitate the process, both sides have constituted negotiating teams to commence work immediately and ensure that the deadline is met.
The ministry said the proposed agreement would provide an updated framework for bilateral air transport relations while creating opportunities for improved connectivity, institutional collaboration and mutually beneficial partnerships between the aviation sectors of both countries.
The statement was signed by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood.
Members of the Nigerian delegation included the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Captain Chris Najomo; the Registrar of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Dr Danjuma Adamu Ismaila; and directors from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the NCAA.
Beyond the review of the existing agreement, the meeting also explored other potential areas of cooperation between Nigeria and Russia.
The ministry said both countries expressed their commitment to examining these opportunities in the coming months to deepen bilateral relations and identify areas of shared interest in aviation and related sectors.