The Nigerian Senate has issued a call for the Federal Government to reconsider its Bilateral Air Service Agreement with China if local carriers are not given reciprocal rights to fly directly to the Asian country. Lawmakers insisted on Tuesday that the pact must offer equal business opportunities to operators from both nations.
According to Punch, the resolution was triggered by a motion moved by Senate Leader Mohammed Monguno and seconded by Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi. Monguno pointed out that although the deal was signed under former President Muhammadu Buhari to build commercial flight routes, Nigerian operators have not gained the expected reciprocal advantages.
Monguno noted that economic connections between both countries continue to expand rapidly, with two-way trade hitting $18 billion in the first six months of 2025, after standing at $28 billion across 2024. He stated that over one million Nigerians reside in China, while more than 500,000 Chinese nationals live in Nigeria.
The lawmaker explained that operating direct routes would turn the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja into key travel hubs connecting West and Central Africa to East Asia. He added that the direct link would cut journey times, support non-oil exports such as farm produce, and keep foreign exchange within the domestic economy.
Supporting the motion, Ningi observed that passengers heading to China are forced to make stopovers in places like Ethiopia, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom because no Nigerian airline makes direct trips there. He suggested that domestic operators like Air Peace, United Nigeria Airlines, Azman Air, and Ibom Air should be backed to fly international routes once they satisfy regulatory conditions.
Ningi also expressed worry about foreign involvement in the solid minerals sector, alleging that some Chinese operations in Bauchi State and border areas with Plateau and Kaduna might not be following legal rules. He called for tighter supervision over how mineral resources are mined and shipped abroad.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio rounded off the debate by pushing for the return of a national carrier, pointing back to the era of Nigeria Airways when the country managed international routes. He maintained that a strong local carrier remains essential for Nigeria to stand firm in the global air travel industry.
