Nigeria and the Russian Federation have agreed to renegotiate their Bilateral Air Services Agreement, which has been in place since 1967. The two countries are aiming to replace the decades-old pact with a modern framework that fits current trends in global aviation.
The decision was reached on Friday during a high-level meeting on the sidelines of the Third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow. Nigeria's Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, led the country's delegation to the talks.
According to Channels Television, Keyamo met with Dmitry Stanislavovich Zverev, the State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation. Both officials agreed to set up dedicated negotiating teams to begin work immediately under a six-month deadline.
The plan is to wrap up all discussions and formally sign the fresh agreement in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in April 2027. Officials expect the updated arrangement to open up better flight connections and foster deeper institutional partnerships between the aviation authorities of both nations.
A statement issued by Tunde Moshood, the special adviser on media and communications to the aviation minister, noted that the proposed pact will offer an updated structure for air travel relations while unlocking shared economic opportunities.
Keyamo was accompanied to Moscow by several top aviation leaders. These included the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Captain Chris Najomo, and the Registrar of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Dr. Danjuma Adamu Ismaila, alongside directors from the ministry and the regulatory agency.
Beyond rewriting the 1967 flight agreement, the delegations also looked into wider avenues for technical cooperation. Both sides pledged to explore these areas over the coming months to expand ties across aviation and related industries.
