Keyamo signs brandnew BASA with UAE, makes diplomatic maneuvering on visa, technical exchange
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L-R: Mr Festus Keyamo, Mister of Aviation & Aerospace Development, and H.E. Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, UAE’s Minister of Economy
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, on behalf of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, FGN, has signed an amended Bilateral Air Services Agreement, BASA, with the United Arab Emirates, UAE.
The edition of the BASA signed was the product of a thoroughly tinkered document far different from what was obtained at the advent of the current administration.
The BASA was signed on the sideline of the ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium (GISS) 2025, held at the prestigious Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi.
While signing the exhaustive BASA, a representative of the government of UAE, His Excellency, H.E. Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, commended Nigeria’s aviation Minister in the following words, “Let me say this on camera now. The Nigeria Aviation Minister is a man who keeps his words and for us, that’s everything”, he said.
Another deft diplomatic move by Festus Keyamo was the bold advocacy for the UAE’s government to review her visa restrictions against Nigerians.
He reasoned that with the brand new BASA in force, both leisure and business travels would experience a meteoric rise between the two countries and the benefit therefrom could be undermined hence the rationale for the total review of the existing visa retriction targeted at Nigerians.
Another bilateral relation the aviation minister explored was the Technical Cooperation Agreement focusing on capacity building and technical support in key aviation areas, including safety and regulatory, environment, airport management and aviation security, AVSEC
Accompanying the Honourable Minister as part of the Nigerian delegation were, Capt. Chris Ona Najomo, Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA),
Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN),
Mrs. Olayinka T. Babaoye-Iriobe, Director, Air Transport Regulations, NCAA, Capt. Abdullahi Mahmood, Director of Operations, FAAN and Mr. Ahmed Tijani, Director, Air Transport Management, Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
The ICAO GISS 2025, hosted by H.E. Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), brought together over 35 ministers, 191 countries, 1,500 aviation professionals, and 70 exhibitors at the prestigious Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi.
The event also featured the Global Sustainable Aviation Marketplace (GSAM)—an ambitious initiative by the UAE to drive collaboration and innovation in sustainable aviation
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