Senate calls for direct Nigeria-China flights

The Senate Tuesday November 3, 2026 known as for the enforcement of the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and China to ascertain direct industrial flights, cut back journey time and retain overseas alternate earnings within the nation.

The decision adopted a movement sponsored by Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, who urged the Federal Government to renegotiate the industrial phrases and operational schedules of the prevailing settlement to make sure reciprocal advantages for each nations.

The movement, which was handed throughout plenary on Tuesday, additionally known as for diplomatic engagement with China to facilitate enterprise visas for Nigerian merchants and safe reciprocal flight slots for Nigerian airways at Chinese airports.

Contributing to the controversy, Senate President Godswill Akpabio mentioned Nigeria ought to take into account stopping Chinese airways from working direct flights to the nation if China didn’t reciprocate the association.

He mentioned, “We have to consider stopping the Chinese airlines from flying to Nigeria directly if they won’t reciprocate.”

Akpabio mentioned implementing the settlement would assist Nigeria retain extra overseas alternate, whereas stressing the necessity for the nation to ascertain a nationwide provider that might fly the Nigerian flag.

He additionally expressed concern over the actions of some Chinese businessmen working in Nigeria with out complying with the nation’s laws.

“Sometimes, the Chinese businessmen you see mining in our communities without requisite papers are an issue of non-enforcement of our rules,” he mentioned.

Earlier, Senator Abdul Ningi described the financial partnership between Nigeria and China as lopsided in favour of the Asian nation, arguing that Nigeria had not adequately benefited from the bilateral agreements.

“China has taken away from us our collective inheritance, not by force but by bilateral agreements,” he mentioned.

Ningi, who cited the disparity within the variety of Nigerians and Chinese nationals dwelling in each nations, mentioned the imbalance underscored the necessity for Nigeria to renegotiate its relationship with China.

He disclosed that Chinese nationals working mining firms in his constituency moved round in costly automobiles and lived in separate group quarters, elevating issues about compliance with related legal guidelines.

The lawmaker additionally lamented that pure sources mined in Nigeria have been usually exported with out commensurate advantages to the nation.

“Why is it possible? How is it possible? Why is it allowed to happen?” he queried.

He subsequently supported the decision for China to grant Nigerian airways direct entry to its airports.

In the movement, the Senate famous that the BASA signed below the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari was supposed to ascertain direct industrial air hyperlinks and regulate flight frequencies between Nigeria and China.

It additionally highlighted the rising commerce relationship between the 2 nations, noting that bilateral commerce reached $18 million within the first half of 2025, representing a 35 per cent year-on-year improve, whereas citing a complete of $28 billion recorded in 2026.

The Senate mentioned direct scheduled flights would place the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, as main gateways connecting West and Central Africa to East Asia.

It additional famous that direct flights would scale back journey time, enhance provide chain effectivity, cut back capital flight, improve aeronautical income for Nigerian airports, promote small and medium-scale enterprises and increase non-oil exports, notably perishable agricultural merchandise.

The lawmakers mentioned implementing the settlement would additionally assist President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by facilitating ease of doing enterprise, strengthening bilateral and diplomatic relations, creating direct and oblique employment and opening up export alternatives.

The Senate recognized 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 as key establishments required to implement the settlement.

It additionally known as for strict enforcement of reciprocity, rationalisation of sixth-freedom competitors, bilateral code-sharing preparations, short-term airport payment waivers and a direct naira settlement window via the prevailing bilateral forex swap framework to cut back reliance on the US greenback.

Accordingly, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to renegotiate the industrial phrases and operational schedules of the Nigeria-China BASA.

It additionally urged the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provoke diplomatic talks with China on enterprise visa facilitation for Nigerian merchants and reciprocal slot allocations for Nigerian airways at Chinese airports.

The Senate subsequently mandated its Committees on Aviation and Foreign Affairs to make sure compliance with the resolutions and report again to the chamber inside 4 weeks.