Senate Rejects Nigeria Air Project, Urges FG to Establish National Carrier

Senate President Godswill Akpabio rejected proposals to revive contracts for the failed Nigeria Air project during a plenary session yesterday. The upper chamber urged the federal government to seek alternative solutions for establishing a domestically-owned airline and to renegotiate the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and China.

This move aims to enable Nigerian airlines to offer direct flights to China, addressing disparities in flight operations between the two nations. Akpabio emphasized the need for a national carrier capable of representing Nigeria on the global stage and improving participation in the aviation market. He lamented the country's shift from a national airline with a substantial fleet to relying heavily on foreign carriers for international connectivity.

The Nigeria Air project, launched by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023, faced controversy over allegations of fraud and misrepresentation. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting former Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika and other individuals over alleged contract fraud involving N1.5 billion. The BASA, which currently allows Chinese airlines to operate direct flights into Nigeria without reciprocal services by Nigerian carriers, was criticized by Senator Tahir Monguno.

He called for diplomatic and regulatory measures to secure reciprocal flight rights, enhance the role of Nigerian airports as major aviation hubs, and promote economic benefits for local businesses and agricultural exports. Monguno proposed temporary airport fee waivers to support Nigerian airlines seeking direct routes to China and advocating for a direct naira settlement window to reduce dependence on the US dollar.

Senator Ned Nwoko, while urging the government to consider reviving Nigerian Airways, highlighted the need for a national carrier instead of relying solely on private operators for international routes.