Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has led Nigeria’s delegation to a high-level bilateral meeting with the Russian Federation on the sidelines of the Third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, Russia, as both countries move to strengthen aviation relations and expand cooperation in the air transport sector.
At the meeting, the Nigerian delegation, led by the Minister, held discussions with Dmitry Stanislavovich Zverev, State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation, on the need to modernise the existing framework governing air services between the two countries.
A major outcome of the meeting was the resolution by both sides to renegotiate the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and Russia, which dates back to 1967, with a view to establishing a new agreement that reflects contemporary developments and emerging opportunities in international aviation.
Both countries agreed on a six-month timeline to conclude the negotiations and sign the new agreement in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in April 2027. To facilitate this process, the two sides have constituted their respective negotiating teams to commence work immediately and ensure that the agreed timeline is met.
The proposed agreement is expected to provide an updated framework for bilateral air transport relations and create opportunities for enhanced connectivity, closer institutional collaboration and mutually beneficial engagement between the aviation sectors of both countries.
The Nigerian delegation included the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Chris Najomo, the Registrar of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Danjuma Adamu Ismaila, as well as directors from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the NCAA.
Beyond the review of the existing air services agreement, the meeting also explored other potential areas of cooperation between Nigeria and Russia. Both parties expressed their commitment to examining these opportunities in the coming months, with a view to deepening bilateral relations and identifying areas of shared interest in aviation and related sectors.
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Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers.
She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay.
She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos.
As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender.
She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies.
Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the
prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the ‘Aviation Writer of the Year’ Category.
She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category.
She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations.
Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.
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