Nigeria and Jamaica have moved closer to signing a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) following a meeting between the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, and the Jamaican High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency Lincoln Downer.
The Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Honourable Minister, Tunde Moshood, said in a statement that the meeting focused on finalising the existing agreement, which has undergone legal and technical reviews by both governments.
It also focused on strengthening air connectivity between the two countries, opening new routes for trade, tourism and cultural exchange, and finalising the framework for direct aviation cooperation.
The two sides are now working to agree on a signing date, tentatively set for late November or early December in Kingston.
The Minister directed officials to provide the Jamaican side with a final copy of the agreement for review and proofreading before formal endorsement.
The Office of the Attorney-General has already reviewed the text and returned it, leaving the process at an advanced stage.
High Commissioner Downer said the countries had reached a point where they could proceed to signing, adding that Jamaica had shared its legally reviewed version with Nigerian officials and was awaiting confirmation of the next steps.
The revised BASA is designed to create a stronger framework for aviation cooperation, facilitate air travel and expand commercial, tourism and people-to-people links between Nigeria and Jamaica.
For Nigeria, the agreement forms part of a broader effort to deepen international aviation partnerships and expand air connectivity through mutually beneficial air-services arrangements.
Keyamo reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to concluding the agreement promptly and instructed relevant officials to expedite the remaining documentation ahead of the proposed signing in Jamaica.
The prospective deal follows earlier discussions between the two governments on establishing direct air links, with Jamaica’s limited national air-transport capacity identified as a practical obstacle to closer connectivity.
