Experts in the aviation sector have commended the federal government for signing the new Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with the USA, India, Morocco and Rwanda.
They say these new deals that are signed on the principle of reciprocity, are deals that will allow the country’s airlines to enjoy equal leverage, in terms of flight operations with these countries.
Few days ago Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation in his twitter handle @hadisirika stated, “I am glad to announce that Mr President, on behalf of Nigeria, has signed the instruments of ratification of the bilateral air service agreement between Nigeria and USA, India, Morocco as well as Rwanda.”
Stakeholders in the aviation sector have said the BASA agreements with these countries are yet another testimony of the commitment of this government to the growth of the domestic aviation industry.
Allen Onyema, chairman of Air Peace stated that this couldn’t have happened at a better time than now that the domestic industry requires all the support to stay afloat.
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“It is most commendable and I promise the president that the gains thereof shall be fully harnessed. With this, the President has effectively pushed the ball in the court of domestic airline operators and I want to use this opportunity to call on my colleagues to rally to savour the full benefits of these agreements,” Onyema said.
The Air Peace boss thanked the minister for all the groundwork that culminated in the signing of these agreements.
He noted that the minister’s determination to raise the local bar is palpable, adding that the era of lop-sidedness against Nigeria in international aviation is over.
“What the president has done is a call for local operators to build capacity and remain competitive in the global air space. This shall increase job opportunities and ancillary benefits to the domestic economy. I thank you Mr President for this patriotic master stroke,” Onyema added.
Before now, there has been lop-sidedness against Nigeria airlines in international aviation. For instance, the denial of landing permit to Air Peace by the UK and Canada governments were demonstrations of ‘obnoxious’ aero politics.
However, experts have said with the new BASAs, Nigeria airlines are given an opportunity to reciprocate air services with these countries.
This development is coming a few weeks after Hadi Sirika, the minister of aviation announced that only countries that allow Nigeria airlines to fly to their countries will be granted permits for their airlines to operate into Nigeria.
The minister had appealed to the countries banning Nigerians from going to their countries to be conscious of the level-playing field in reciprocity as the country will also apply the same measure.
“The principle of reciprocity would be applied. I bet you the conditions you give Nigerians who travel to your country – we will apply the same thing. If you ban us from coming to your country, the same will apply the other way; we just hope for a level-playing field on the issue of reciprocity,’’ Sirika had stated.
When the United Arab Emirates, (UAE) stopped issuing visas to Nigerians, the federal government decided to reciprocate by banning its airline, Emirates from operating in Nigeria.
Before the resumption of international flights in the country, the federal government announced that Air France, KLM, Etihad, Air Namibia, Royal Air Maroc, Lufthansa, TAAG Angola Airlines were not granted approval to commence flight operations because Nigerians were not allowed into these countries.
Stakeholders in the aviation sector who commended Sirika’s decision said the decision would elevate the image of Nigeria in the comity of nations and send a signal to international airlines that it is no more business as usual.
In a letter written to the minister, Allen Onyema commended him on the laudable decision of the federal government, he said, “You are causing a positive revolution in the aviation world. You have, by this action, brought so much respect to our people and our nation. Nigerians all over the world are walking tall with enormous pride since the last few hours when the news broke out. This is the beginning of the end of the stigmatisation of Nigeria and everything Nigerian. God bless you always. From my sincere heart, I have come to appreciate your nationalistic tendencies.”
The Air Peace boss also said the minister by his conduct and commitment, has ensured that the aviation industry is unencumbered, noting that Sirika facilitated the customs duty waiver on aircraft and spares and is currently working on the unification of charges paid by domestic airlines.
Olumide Ohunayo, an aviation analyst said the country is battling with a pandemic and it is the citizens that pandemic affects, so the emphasis should be more on citizens of the country. He said the policy is supported by industry players, adding that he supports the government in reciprocating whatever is provided by any country.
“If we have countries that are stopping Nigerians based on the pandemic then we also have to do the same at this point in time and that is the only way to show that there is a government that is interested in its people and protection of the citizens; which is number one priority for every government,”Ohunayo said.
However, John Ojikutu, member of the aviation industry think tank group, Aviation Round Table (ART) and chief executive of Centurion Securities, told BD Sunday that the concerned authorities need to first identify the places where private airlines or private aircraft can be accommodated in the existing BASAs between Nigeria and these countries.
“That is why I said nationally, we must have policies that classify our airlines as regional flag carriers, continental flag carriers or intercontinental flag carriers. If Air Peace is being refused flights to UK now but BA is still allowed to fly into Nigeria, we must revisit the agreement that allowed Air Peace into UK pre covid19 within or without the BASA between the two countries if it is not a unilateral arrangement outside the BASA,” Ojikutu explained.
