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The Senate has warned that Nigeria may withdraw or review aviation privileges granted to Chinese airlines if Nigerian carriers are denied reciprocal rights to operate direct flights to China.
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Lawmakers have rejected calls to revive defunct Nigeria Airways and Air Nigeria, urging the Federal Government to establish a new, viable national carrier instead.
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The Senate has directed the Federal Government to renegotiate and enforce Nigeria’s Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with China to address the imbalance in flight operations and improve access for Nigerian airlines.
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The upper chamber has also demanded diplomatic negotiations to facilitate business visas for Nigerian traders and secure reciprocal airport slot allocations, giving its Committees on Aviation and Foreign Affairs four weeks to report on compliance.
November 03, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Senate has warned that Chinese airlines could lose some of the aviation privileges they currently enjoy in Nigeria if Nigerian carriers are not granted reciprocal rights to operate direct flights to China, declaring that there should be no preferential treatment for foreign airlines at the expense of indigenous operators.
The upper chamber also rejected proposals to revive the defunct Nigeria Airways and Air Nigeria, insisting that the Federal Government should concentrate on establishing a new and viable national carrier rather than attempting to resurrect failed airline ventures.
These resolutions followed deliberations on a motion titled, “Enforcing the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA),” sponsored by the Senate Whip, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, representing Borno North, at plenary on Tuesday.
The lawmakers expressed concern over the imbalance in air connectivity between Nigeria and China, despite the growing economic and commercial relationship between both countries.
They called on the Federal Government to renegotiate and enforce the existing Bilateral Air Services Agreement to guarantee Nigerian airlines reciprocal access to Chinese destinations and ensure that the country’s aviation industry benefits from the expanding trade relationship.
The Senate specifically urged the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to review existing aviation arrangements with China and take steps to secure equitable operating rights for Nigerian carriers.
It also directed the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to initiate diplomatic discussions with Chinese authorities on business visa facilitation for Nigerian traders and reciprocal allocation of airport slots to Nigerian airlines.
The Senate mandated its Committees on Aviation and Foreign Affairs to ensure compliance with the resolutions and report back to the chamber within four weeks.
Akpabio Dismisses Calls to Revive Nigeria Airways
An additional prayer by Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North, seeking the revival of the defunct Nigeria Airways, generated further debate during consideration of the motion.
However, Senate President Godswill Akpabio dismissed the proposal, questioning the rationale behind attempting to revive 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 importance of having a Nigerian-owned airline capable of competing in the international aviation market, he argued that the country should pursue an entirely new and sustainable national carrier.
Akpabio recalled that Nigeria once operated a fleet of nearly 40 aircraft but had since experienced a significant decline in its aviation capacity.
He expressed concern that the country, which previously operated a sizeable national airline, now struggled to secure aircraft for hire.
“Common campaigns, we cannot have planes to hire,” he said.
The Senate President maintained that establishing a viable national carrier would provide a more sustainable response to the challenges confronting Nigerian travellers and the country’s aviation industry.
He, however, warned that Nigeria might have to reconsider the privileges extended to Chinese airlines if the country continued to be denied reciprocal access to China’s aviation market.
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Monguno Cites $18bn Trade Volume, Demands Reciprocal Rights
Presenting the motion, Monguno said Nigeria and China had developed substantial economic and commercial relations, with large populations of citizens living in each other’s territories, creating significant demand for direct air connectivity.
He recalled that the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement with China to establish direct commercial air links and regulate flight frequencies between both countries.
However, he said the agreement needed effective implementation to ensure that Nigerian airlines benefited from the opportunities it was designed to create.
The senator cited the growing volume of trade between the two countries, which he put at $18 billion in the first half of 2025, representing a 25 per cent increase over the corresponding period.
He also drew attention to the significant presence of Nigerians in China and Chinese nationals in Nigeria, arguing that the population movement had created considerable demand for direct commercial flights.
According to him, effective utilisation of the BASA agreement would transform the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, into major aviation gateways connecting West and Central Africa to East Asia.
Monguno said direct flights would reduce travel time, improve supply-chain efficiency, retain foreign exchange within the country and increase revenues accruing to Nigerian airports.
He also identified opportunities for small and medium-scale enterprises, expansion of non-oil exports, improved movement of perishable agricultural products and increased commercial activities as some of the benefits of enforcing the agreement.
The senator said the arrangement would also support President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda through improved ease of doing business, stronger diplomatic relations, employment generation and expanded export opportunities.
He called for coordinated action by the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Customs Service to ensure effective implementation.
Among the measures he proposed were strict enforcement of reciprocal air service rights, rationalisation of competition involving foreign airlines, bilateral code-sharing arrangements and temporary airport fee concessions.
He also advocated the introduction of a direct naira settlement window under the existing Nigeria-China currency swap framework to reduce dependence on the United States dollar in eligible bilateral transactions.
Ningi Questions Economic Benefits of China Relationship
Contributing to the debate, Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, argued that Nigeria was not receiving commensurate benefits from its relationship with China despite the Asian country’s growing influence in the global economy.
He called for a more balanced relationship that would allow Nigerian businesses and airlines to benefit from the opportunities available in the Chinese market.
The senator also raised concerns about the activities of Chinese nationals in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, advocating stronger government oversight to ensure that the country derives adequate economic benefits from its mineral resources.
He drew attention to mining activities in communities within his constituency bordering Kaduna and Plateau states, expressing concerns about the scale of operations, equipment deployed, and the exportation of raw minerals without sufficient local processing.
Ningi’s contribution further highlighted the need for Nigeria to strengthen its negotiating position in dealings with China and ensure that bilateral agreements translate into tangible economic benefits.
Nigeria Airways, Nigeria Air Projects Failed to Take Off
The Senate’s rejection of the proposed revival of Nigeria Airways comes against the background of the country’s troubled history of national airline operations.
Nigeria Airways, established in 1958, served as the country’s national carrier for several decades, operating domestic, regional and international routes before financial difficulties, mounting debts and operational challenges led to the suspension of its operations and eventual liquidation in 2003.
Successive administrations have made attempts to establish a new national carrier, with the Nigeria Air project introduced by the Buhari administration as part of efforts to reposition the aviation sector.
The proposed airline was unveiled in May 2023 at the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom, with Ethiopian Airlines identified as a strategic partner.
However, the project generated controversy following allegations that the aircraft presented during its unveiling at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was a chartered Ethiopian Airlines aircraft leased for a 72-hour display before being returned to Addis Ababa.
The project subsequently failed to commence commercial operations, leaving Nigeria without a functioning government-owned national carrier.
The Senate’s latest resolutions have therefore placed renewed emphasis on securing reciprocal international aviation rights for Nigerian airlines while urging the Federal Government to pursue a fresh national carrier initiative capable of operating sustainably.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
