Senate rejects move to revive Nigeria Airways, Air Nigeria

*** Urges FG to re-ajudge BASA agreement for Nigeria Air services fly directly to China *** Says we should not waste time on dead issues; calls for a national carrier with Nigeria’s flag *** We can’t revive what is already dead, Akpabio. By Henry Umoru, Abuja The Senate has rejected calls for the revival of Nigeria Airways and Air Nigeria while it urged the Federal Government to renegotiate and enforce Nigeria’s Bilateral Air Services agreement, BASA, with China to allow Nigerian airlines to operate direct flights to the Asian country.

According to the Senate, there was the urgent need for a review of existing aviation arrangements to address the imbalance in flight operations between both countries and ensure that Nigerian carriers enjoy reciprocal access to China directly. The Upper Chamber has also urged the Federal Government to explore ways of establishing a viable national carrier that would fly the nation’s flag to ease the challenges confronting Nigerian air travellers rather than what it described as wasting time in discussing dead issues.

The Senate also asked the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to initiate diplomatic talks with China regarding business visa facilitation for Nigerian traders and reciprocal slot allocations to Chinese airports. Resolutions of the Senate on Tuesday were a sequel to a motion titled “Enforcing the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA)”. The motion was moved by the Senate Whip, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, APC, Borno North.

The Upper Chamber has mandated the committees on Aviation and Foreign Affairs to ensure compliance and report to the Senate in 4 weeks. The Senate also noted the growing trade relationship between both countries and the need for Nigeria to maximise the economic benefits of that partnership. An additional prayer by Senator Ned Nwoko, APC, Delta North, to revive the defunct airline sparked an additional debate as it was dismissed.

The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said, “We can’t revive what is already dead.” Instead, the leadership advised pursuing an entirely new, viable national carrier. Senator Akpabio, who questioned the wisdom of reviving an airline that had long ceased operations, said, . ‘We can’t revive what is already dead. Did Nigerian airways ever work?

While acknowledging the importance of having a Nigerian-owned airline, the President of the Senate recalled that the country once operated a fleet of nearly 40 aircraft and how Nigeria got to where we are, saying, “Common campaigns, we cannot have planes to hire.” Akpabio, however, warned that Nigeria might have to reconsider the privileges granted to Chinese airlines if Nigerian carriers were not allowed reciprocal access to operate direct flights to China.

Recall that the plane unveiled as Nigeria Air in May 2023 was alleged to be a chartered Ethiopian Airlines aircraft leased for just a 72-hour display before being flown back to Addis Ababa. Earlier in his presentation, Senator Monguno noted that Nigeria and China have significant populations of citizens living in each other’s territories, creating substantial demand for direct air connectivity.

He argued that a more balanced agreement would reduce travel time, improve supply-chain efficiency, boost trade and limit foreign exchange outflows associated with international travel. Monguno said that the Senate notes that the Administration of the late former President Muhmmadu Buhari, Nigeria-China, signed a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) to establish a direct commercial air link and govern flight frequencies; “Also notes that the volume of trade between Nigeria and China reached $18 billion in the first half of 2025 (a 35% increase year-on-year, building on a total of $28 billion recorded in 2026); “Aware that the BASA instrument is intended to establish a direct scheduled Nigeria-China flight that would transform Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, from mere origin/destination points into the primary gateway linking West and Central Africa to East Asia; “Also aware that the population of Nigerians in China is more than 1,000,000 people, while that of China in Nigeria is more than 5,000,000, and this has generated the interest of China in Nigeria because it is Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy, offering massive markets on the African continent; “Further aware that the benefits of enforcing such a bilateral agreement will reduce drastically travel time and increase supply chain velocity, retention of foreign exchange (capital flight reduction), aeronautical revenues for Nigerian gateways, increase commercial SME growth and non-oil export expansion, and accelerated perishable exports, among other benefits; “Appreciates that the utilisation of BASA between Nigeria and China will actualise the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Ahmed Bola in facilitating the ease of doing business in Nigeria, enhancing bilateral and diplomatic relat