Nigeria’s Aviation Industry Set for Growth as UAE Signs New Deal, Allowing Code-Sharing Agreements

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a new Bilateral Air Services Agreement, BASA.

This is to pave the way for increased cooperation and competition in the aviation industry.

In an interview on arrival from the UAE at the Lagos International Airport, Minister Keyamo revealed that the new agreement will allow Nigerian airlines to fly to any destination in the UAE, including Dubai International Airport (DXB), Sharjah and Etihad Airport. 

According to him, the new Bilateral Air Services Agreement, BASA, is a significant improvement from the previous agreement, which restricted Nigerian airlines to flying to Sharjah only.

The minister emphasized that the new agreement is a win-win for both countries, as it will increase competition and lead to lower prices for Nigerian travellers. 

“Redefining our relationship altogether again, making it more healthy, making it more open, and for the benefits, especially of the Nigerian people, we are also free to fly to any airport in the UAE, they have Sharjah, they have the Etihad , they also have the DXB, so we have, we insisted on that”.

He also revealed that the UAE has committed to code-sharing agreements with Nigerian airlines, which will give them the right of first refusal.

Mr. Keyamo also highlighted the benefits of the agreement for Nigerian airlines, stating that it will provide them with more opportunities to fly to international destinations and compete with major airlines. 

He also emphasized the importance of the UAE as a major hub, linking virtually every country in the world, and making it easier for Nigerian travelers to access any part of the world.

“There will be a lot of code-sharing in this respect now. As I speak with you, they are speaking with many of our local operators. I went with some of them, I’m sure you saw some of them. Emirates is speaking with a lot of our local operators now, and that is also for the benefit of our local aviation industry”. 

The minister also touched on the efforts of the Nigerian government to restore confidence in the aviation ecosystem and leasing industry.

He cited the practice direction of the Cape Town Convention as a key factor in increasing compliance scores and empowering local operators to compete favorably with international airlines.