Photo caption: Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (left) and the UAE’s Minister of Economy, Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, signing the amended Bilateral Air Service Agreement at the sideline of the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Global Implementation Support Symposium 2025. Photo Credit: Aviation ministry
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has signed the amended Bilateral Air Service Agreement between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.
This was made known through a statement signed by the minister’s media aide, Tunde Moshood, and made available to The PUNCH on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the amendment was signed during a meeting with UAE’s Minister of Economy, Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, at the sideline of the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Global Implementation Support Symposium 2025, solidifying mutual aviation ties between both nations.
The ICAO GISS 2025, hosted by Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, brought together over 35 ministers, 191 countries, 1,500 aviation professionals, and 70 exhibitors at the Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi.
Moshood stated that the signing of the amended BASA builds on last year’s negotiations to ensure reciprocal rights for both countries and foster deeper aviation collaboration.
He added that during the signing of the agreement, Keyamo emphasised the importance of enhancing connectivity between Nigeria and the UAE, with a focus on expanding codeshare agreements and interlining opportunities for Nigerian airlines.
He added that the UAE’s Minister of Economy hailed Nigeria’s aviation minister as saying, “Let me say this on camera now, the Nigeria Aviation Minister is a man who keeps his words, and for us, that’s everything,” acknowledging his commitment to advancing Nigeria-UAE aviation relations.
Beyond the BASA agreement, Moshood said Nigeria’s 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.
The statement further reads, “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.
“This cooperation reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to elevating its aviation sector to global best practices while deepening ties with international partners.
“The minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to work closely with the UAE to implement these agreements effectively, ensuring that both nations maximise the economic and operational benefits of this strengthened partnership.”
Also present at the signing ceremony were Acting Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority Capt. Chris Ona Najomo; Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku; Director, Air Transport Regulations, Mrs. Olayinka Babaoye-Iriobe; NCAA’s Director of Operations, Capt. Abdullahi Mahmood; Director, Air Transport Management, Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Ahmed Tijani; among others.
