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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Senate has urged the Federal Government to renegotiate the commercial terms and operational schedules of the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and China to establish direct commercial flights, reduce travel time and retain foreign exchange earnings in the country.
It added that the existing agreement does not ensure reciprocal benefits for both countries.
This followed a motion sponsored by Mohammed Monguno in plenary on Tuesday.
The motion also called for diplomatic engagement with China to facilitate business visas for Nigerian traders and secure reciprocal flight slots for Nigerian airlines at Chinese airports.
Contributing to the debate, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said Nigeria should consider stopping Chinese airlines from operating direct flights to the country if China failed to reciprocate the arrangement.
He said: “We have to consider stopping the Chinese airlines from flying to Nigeria directly if they won’t reciprocate.”
Akpabio said enforcing the agreement would help Nigeria retain more foreign exchange, while stressing the need for the country to establish a national carrier that would fly the Nigerian flag.
He also expressed concern over the activities of some Chinese businessmen operating in Nigeria without complying with the country’s regulations.
“Sometimes, the Chinese businessmen you see mining in our communities without requisite papers are an issue of non-enforcement of our rules,” he said.
Earlier, Senator Abdul Ningi described the economic partnership between Nigeria and China as lopsided in favour of the Asian country, 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 said.
Ningi, who cited the disparity in the number of Nigerians and Chinese nationals living in both countries, said the imbalance underscored the need for Nigeria to renegotiate its relationship with China.
He disclosed that Chinese nationals operating mining companies in his constituency moved around in expensive vehicles and lived in separate community quarters, raising concerns about compliance with relevant laws.
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The lawmaker also lamented that natural resources mined in Nigeria were often exported without commensurate benefits to the country.
“Why is it possible? How is it possible? Why is it allowed to happen?” he queried.
He subsequently supported the call for China to grant Nigerian airlines direct access to its airports.
In the motion, the Senate noted that the BASA signed under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari was intended to establish direct commercial air links and regulate flight frequencies between Nigeria and China.
It also highlighted the growing trade relationship between the two countries, noting that bilateral trade reached $18 million in the first half of 2025, representing a 35 per cent year-on-year increase, while citing a total of $28 billion recorded in 2026.
The Senate said direct scheduled flights would position the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, as major gateways connecting West and Central Africa to East Asia.
It further noted that direct flights would reduce travel time, improve supply chain efficiency, reduce capital flight, increase aeronautical revenue for Nigerian airports, promote small and medium-scale enterprises and expand non-oil exports, particularly perishable agricultural products.
The lawmakers said enforcing the agreement would also support President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by facilitating ease of doing business, strengthening bilateral and diplomatic relations, creating direct and indirect employment and opening up export opportunities.
It further mandated 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 to implement the agreement.
Furthermore, it called for strict enforcement of reciprocity, rationalisation of sixth-freedom competition, bilateral code-sharing arrangements, temporary airport fee waivers and a direct naira settlement window through the existing bilateral currency swap framework to reduce reliance on the US dollar.
Accordingly, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to renegotiate the commercial terms and operational schedules of the Nigeria-China BASA.
It also urged the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to initiate diplomatic talks with China on business visa facilitation for Nigerian traders and reciprocal slot allocations for Nigerian airlines at Chinese airports.
The Senate subsequently mandated its Committees on Aviation and Foreign Affairs to ensure compliance with the resolutions and report back to the chamber within four weeks.
