Nigerian Senate has rejected calls to revive the proposed Nigeria Air project, urging the Federal Government to renegotiate its aviation agreement with China to secure direct flight operations for Nigerian airlines.
Gatekeepers News reports that the resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senate Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Monguno, during plenary on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Monguno called for the review and enforcement of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and China, arguing that the existing arrangement had failed to provide Nigerian carriers with reciprocal access to the Chinese aviation market.
He said direct flights between both countries would reduce travel time, improve supply-chain efficiency, strengthen trade relations and reduce foreign exchange outflows associated with international travel.
The senator also noted that more than one million Nigerians live in China, while over 500,000 Chinese nationals reside in Nigeria, creating significant demand for improved air connectivity.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, said Nigeria was not receiving commensurate benefits from its economic relationship with China.
Ningi lamented that Nigerian travellers often had to transit through other countries to reach China, while Chinese airlines operate direct flights into Nigeria.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio warned that Nigeria might reconsider the privileges granted to Chinese airlines if Nigerian carriers were denied reciprocal access to operate direct flights to China.
The debate also featured a proposal by Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North, for the revival of Nigeria Airways.
However, Akpabio questioned the feasibility of reviving the defunct airline, describing it as an entity that could no longer be brought back to life.
He recalled that Nigeria Airways once operated a fleet of nearly 40 aircraft but urged the Federal Government to explore establishing a viable national carrier to address challenges in the aviation sector.
Although the Senate rejected the revival proposal, lawmakers maintained that Nigeria needed a functional national carrier to strengthen its international aviation presence.
The upper chamber subsequently urged the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to renegotiate the existing agreement with China to secure direct commercial flight operations for Nigerian airlines.
It also called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to engage Chinese authorities on facilitating business visas for Nigerian traders and securing reciprocal airport slot allocations for Nigerian carriers.
The Senate mandated its Committees on Aviation and Foreign Affairs to monitor compliance with the resolutions and report back within four weeks.
