Keyamo, who represented the Federal Government of Nigeria in signing the agreement, revealed that negotiations for the deal had been ongoing for over 20 years but had remained unresolved until now.
He described the conclusion of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) as a significant achievement in Nigeria’s efforts to expand its air links to South America and the Caribbean, particularly opening the trans-Atlantic route. “As part of our ongoing effort to enhance connectivity between Nigeria, South America, and the Caribbean, I signed the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with Trinidad and Tobago today. This deal had been delayed for over two decades since the negotiations first began,” Keyamo stated.
The minister also emphasized the broader importance of the agreement, framing it as a strategic move to reinforce economic and social ties among countries in the Global South, especially in response to shifting global dynamics. The agreement paves the way for direct air connections, which could potentially reduce travel time and costs between West Africa and the Caribbean. In recent months, Nigeria has made considerable progress in expanding its global aviation reach.
In February 2025, Nigeria and the UAE revised their Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) to enhance codeshare arrangements, enabling airlines to share flights and sell tickets on each other’s routes, thereby increasing interlining opportunities and strengthening bilateral aviation ties.
In March 2025, Nigeria and Canada finalized a new Code-sharing Agreement under their Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), designed to improve air connectivity and provide greater convenience for passengers traveling between the two nations.
Furthermore, Nigeria and Brazil have advanced talks to implement their Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), which will establish direct flights between the two countries. This follows a pledge made in February 2024 by Presidents Tinubu and Lula da Silva in Addis Ababa to boost air connectivity between Nigeria and Brazil.
Source : https://nairametrics.com/
