Nigeria set to review over 100 BASA agreements

THE Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has insisted that the Federal Government will review the over 100 Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASAs) Nigeria signed with other countries.

The decision to review the BASAs may not be unconnected with calls from key players across the sector on the grounds that majority of the agreements were to the disadvantage of Nigeria.

The stakeholders further argued that most of the BASAs entered into by Nigeria with the other countries were signed when Nigeria lacked the required capacity to reciprocate the agreements.

The Minister, who dropped the hint at the decision of government to review the agreements at a function in Lagos, declared that all the BASAs Nigeria signed with other countries will be reviewed even as urged all airlines and other stakeholders to exercise patience.

While most of the agreements gave undue advantages to the foreign airlines operating into the country, reverse has been the case for Nigeria as even the one or two of airlines designated on few international routes are being sabotaged by the foreign countries just to protect their own airlines.

Unfortunately, while the foreign countries continue reaping from the lacuna created by the agree-ments, subsequent Nigerian governments have failed to protect its indigenous carriers.

The minister’s announcement that the government will be reviewing the BASAs may now put an end to the existing disadvantages which included: multiple designation, unlimited frequencies and the hitherto failure of the Nigerian government to engage in international aero politics.