Nigeria, Russia to renegotiate 1967 air services deal, sign new pact April 2027
- Nigeria and Russia have agreed to renegotiate their Bilateral Air Services Agreement, which dates back to 1967.
- The deal was reached at a meeting in Moscow led by Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo.
- Both sides set a six-month timeline to sign a new agreement in Saint Petersburg in April 2027.
Nigeria and Russia have agreed to replace their Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), a framework that has governed air travel between the two countries since 1967. The decision came from a meeting on the sidelines of the Third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow on Friday.
Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo led Nigeria's delegation. He met Dmitry Stanislavovich Zverev, State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation, according to a statement by the minister's Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood.
Both sides agreed on a six-month timeline to finish negotiations and sign the new deal in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in April 2027. Each country has set up a negotiating team to start work immediately.
Why it matters for travellers
The old agreement has stood for 59 years, and the ministry says a new one would reflect current realities in international aviation. It is expected to create room for better connectivity, closer cooperation between the two aviation sectors and what the ministry called mutually beneficial engagement.
For ordinary Nigerians, the practical question is whether a modernised deal brings more direct flight options and easier travel between the two countries. The ministry did not disclose the specific changes being proposed, so the details of what travellers will gain are not yet public.
Leadership newspaper noted that the renegotiation comes as many countries review their bilateral aviation arrangements to match changing market conditions and airline operations.
Nigeria's delegation also included Capt. Chris Najomo, Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and Dr Danjuma Adamu Ismaila, Registrar of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT). Directors from the ministry and the NCAA were also present.
What happens next
The negotiating teams are to begin work now, with the aim of meeting the April 2027 signing date. Beyond the air services deal, the two sides discussed other possible areas of cooperation in aviation and related sectors. Both delegations said they would look at those opportunities in the coming months as part of efforts to deepen relations.
How much the new agreement delivers in expanded flights and commercial benefits will depend on the outcome of those negotiations.
