Senate rejects Nigeria Air revival

The Senate has rejected calls to revive the controversial Nigeria Air project, describing further efforts to salvage the failed national carrier initiative as a waste of time.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the position on Tuesday following a debate on a motion sponsored by Senator Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North) during plenary.

The project was initiated under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari by the then Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika.

While dismissing the possibility of reviving the existing contracts, the Senate maintained that Nigeria still needed a functional national carrier but urged the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to explore fresh options for establishing one.

The lawmakers’ position emerged during deliberations on a motion seeking the enforcement and renegotiation of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and China.

Monguno urged the Federal Government to ensure that Nigerian airlines obtain the necessary approvals and operational clearances to operate direct flights to China.

He recalled that Nigeria and China signed the agreement under Buhari to establish direct commercial air links and increase flight frequencies between both countries.

However, he expressed concern that the agreement had not been effectively implemented to guarantee reciprocal benefits for Nigerian airlines.

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The senator called on the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Customs Service to collaborate towards ensuring effective implementation of the agreement.

Contributing to the debate, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi described the proposal as patriotic and beneficial to the country but raised concerns about the activities of Chinese nationals in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.

He argued that Nigeria should not continue granting Chinese airlines access to its aviation market without securing equivalent opportunities for indigenous carriers.

Ningi consequently called for a review of the BASA if China failed to guarantee reciprocal flight rights for Nigerian airlines.

Akpabio, while supporting the need for a strong indigenous airline, said Nigeria required a functional national carrier capable of competing in the international aviation market.

However, the Senate maintained that reviving the Nigeria Air project through its existing contracts was no longer a viable option.