By James Adamu
The Nigerian Senate has rejected calls to revive the moribund Nigeria Air, instead urging the Federal Government to renegotiate the country’s Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with China to secure direct flight access for Nigerian carriers.
The resolution followed a motion sponsored by the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Monguno, during plenary on Tuesday. Lawmakers argued that the current aviation arrangement with China is lopsided and fails to deliver reciprocal benefits to Nigerian airlines.
Senator Monguno, in his lead debate, noted that Nigeria and China share significant populations in each other’s territories, creating substantial demand for direct air connectivity. He disclosed that over one million Nigerians reside in China, while more than 500,000 Chinese live in Nigeria.
He argued that a renegotiated agreement would reduce travel time, improve supply-chain efficiency, boost bilateral trade, and curb foreign exchange outflows associated with routing travellers through third countries.
The Senate also urged the Ministry of Aviation to enforce Nigeria’s rights under the existing BASA, ensuring Nigerian carriers enjoy reciprocal access to Chinese airspace.
“We Can’t Revive What Is Dead” — Akpabio
The push for a national carrier suffered a setback when an additional prayer by Senator Ned Nwoko calling for the revival of Nigeria Airways sparked debate.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio questioned the rationale behind reviving an airline that had long ceased operations.
“We can’t revive what is already dead. Did Nigerian Airways ever work?” Akpabio asked.
While acknowledging the need for a Nigerian-owned carrier, he recalled that the country once operated a fleet of nearly 40 aircraft and urged the Federal Government to explore viable options for establishing a national carrier to ease the burden on Nigerian air travellers.
Beyond aviation, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to initiate diplomatic talks with China on business visa facilitation for Nigerian traders and reciprocal slot allocations at Chinese airports.
Senator Abdul Ningi, contributing to the debate, argued that Nigeria was not receiving commensurate benefits from its relationship with China despite the Asian giant’s growing global economic influence.
Senate President Akpabio further warned that Nigeria may reconsider the privileges granted to Chinese airlines if Nigerian carriers are denied reciprocal access to operate direct flights to China.
The Red Chamber has tasked the Ministry of Aviation to return to the negotiating table and establish direct commercial air links between both countries. Whether the executive arm acts on the Senate’s resolution, and how China responds to the reciprocity demands, remains to be seen.
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