By TheDailyNewsHub Reporter
The Nigerian Senate has rejected proposals to revive the defunct Nigeria Airways and Air Nigeria, while urging the Federal Government to establish a new, viable national carrier and secure direct flight connections between Nigeria and China.
The decisions followed deliberations on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, during consideration of a motion seeking the enforcement and review of Nigeria’s Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with China.
The motion, sponsored by Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, called on the Federal Government to renegotiate the agreement to guarantee Nigerian airlines reciprocal rights to operate direct flights to China.
The Senate’s demand for a review of Nigeria’s aviation agreements with China comes days after Nigeria and Russia agreed to renegotiate their 59-year-old Bilateral Air Services Agreement, with both countries targeting the signing of a new deal in April 2027. Read more in Nigeria and Russia Move to Replace 1967 Aviation Agreement, Target April 2027 Signing
Lawmakers expressed concern that Chinese airlines enjoy direct access to Nigeria, while Nigerian carriers do not have equivalent opportunities to operate flights to the Asian country.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio warned that Nigeria might have to reconsider the privileges granted to Chinese airlines if Nigerian carriers continued to be denied reciprocal access.
He said Nigerian business travellers often had to connect through other countries when travelling to China, while Chinese passengers could fly directly to Nigeria.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Abdul Ningi supported the demand for reciprocal flight rights, arguing that Nigeria should not continue granting foreign airlines access to its aviation market without securing comparable opportunities for domestic operators.
The Senate subsequently urged the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to renegotiate the agreement and work towards establishing direct commercial air links between both countries.
The debate also turned to Nigeria’s national carrier ambitions after Senator Ned Nwoko proposed reviving the defunct national airline.
Akpabio rejected the proposal to revive the old airline, questioning the practicality of bringing back an entity that had ceased operations. He, however, maintained that Nigeria needed a viable national carrier capable of flying the country’s flag and supporting international connectivity.
The Senate also directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to begin diplomatic discussions with Chinese authorities on facilitating business visas for Nigerian traders and securing reciprocal airport slot allocations for Nigerian airlines.
Its Committees on Aviation and Foreign Affairs were mandated to monitor the implementation of the resolutions and report back to the chamber within four weeks.
The resolutions come amid renewed discussions about Nigeria’s aviation capacity, international connectivity and the future of a national carrier following years of controversy surrounding the proposed Nigeria Air project.