Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Tuesday, signed an amended Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
This was announced in a statement issued by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood.
The agreement was signed during a high-level meeting with UAE’s Minister of Economy, Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, in Abu Dhabi on the sidelines 2025 ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium (GISS) ceremony.
The statement said the new development has consolidated mutual aviation ties between the two countries
“The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK), has signed the amended Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE),” the statement said.
A Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) is an agreement that provides for civil aviation certifications to be shared between two countries.
The latest development occurred less than a year after the UAE lifted the visa ban on Nigerians and Emirates Airlines resumed flights after suspension due to challenges in repatriating trapped funds.
At the ceremony, Mr Keyamo emphasised the value of enhancing connectivity between Nigeria and the UAE, with a focus on expanding codeshare agreements and interlining opportunities for Nigerian airlines.
“Let me say this on camera now, the Nigeria Aviation Minister is a man who keeps his word and for us, that’s everything,” Mr Al Marri was quoted to have said, acknowledging Mr Keyamo’s commitment to advancing Nigeria-UAE aviation relations.
Beyond the BASA agreement, the statement said the aviation minister advocated for a review of UAE’s visa restrictions on Nigerians, stressing that easing the current conditions would increase passenger traffic on designated routes, benefiting both nations’ economies.
“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,” the statement said.
It noted that the cooperation reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to elevating its aviation sector to global best practices while deepening ties with international partners.
