Senate wants direct Nigeria–China flights: what travellers and traders could gain

The Senate has urged the Federal Government to renegotiate and enforce Nigeria’s air services agreement with China, so that Nigerian airlines can fly directly to Chinese cities on equal terms with Chinese carriers.

The motion, “Enforcing the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA)”, was moved by Senate Whip Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North) and debated on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, Vanguard reported.

What the Senate asked for

• Renegotiate and enforce the air services agreement with China so Nigerian airlines get reciprocal rights to fly direct.
• Easier business visas for Nigerian traders travelling to China.
• Landing slots for Nigerian airlines at Chinese airports.
• A review of existing aviation arrangements with China by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.

The Senate Committees on Aviation and Foreign Affairs must report back within four weeks.

Senators also warned that Chinese airlines could lose some of their current privileges if Nigerian carriers are not given equal access, The Will reported. “There should be no preferential treatment for foreign airlines at the expense of indigenous operators,” the Senate said.

Why China matters to Nigerians

China is one of Nigeria’s biggest trading partners. Monguno told the Senate that trade between the two countries reached $18 billion in the first half of 2025. Thousands of Nigerian traders travel to Chinese cities such as Guangzhou and Yiwu to buy goods for markets at home, and they currently have to fly through other hubs, often in the Gulf or Ethiopia.

Direct flights could mean:

• shorter, possibly cheaper journeys for traders and students;
• more business for Lagos and Abuja airports as hubs for West and Central Africa; and
• more of the money spent on air travel staying with Nigerian airlines.

No to reviving Nigeria Airways

In the same session, the Senate rejected a proposal by Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North) to revive the defunct Nigeria Airways and Air Nigeria, and instead urged the government to build a new, viable national carrier.

“We can’t revive what is already dead,” Senate President Godswill Akpabio said.

What happens next

Senate resolutions are not binding on the executive. Whether direct flights happen depends on the Ministry of Aviation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and talks with Beijing, and on whether any Nigerian airline has the long-haul aircraft to fly the route.