The aviation skies between Nigeria and the Carribean opens up as BASA comes into effect
In a significant diplomatic achievement, Nigeria and Trinidad and Tobago have officially signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), marking the culmination of years of anticipation and strategic negotiation. This agreement represents a major breakthrough in Afro-Caribbean relations, opening the skies between the two nations and extending regional connectivity across Africa and the Caribbean.
The landmark signing took place in Port of Spain during a high-level meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Chief Festus Keyamo, and Trinidad & Tobago’s Secretary of Works and Transportation, Mr. Roland Sinanan. The occasion signifies a bold step forward for aviation and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Originally initiated under former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005, the BASA had remained dormant until now. Its ratification reflects the renewed momentum in Nigeria’s aviation sector under the reform-driven leadership of Chief Keyamo and aligns with the broader strategic vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reposition Nigeria as a continental aviation hub with global reach.
The BASA not only enables direct air connectivity between Nigeria and South America—just a six-hour flight from West Africa—but also promises wide-ranging benefits. These include enhanced trade, tourism, cultural exchange, and people-to-people connections. For Nigerian and Caribbean entrepreneurs alike, the agreement opens new opportunities for business, investment, and collaboration.
As part of efforts to further deepen Afro-Caribbean cooperation, Minister Keyamo also paid a working visit to Barbados. There, he held productive bilateral talks with several Cabinet Ministers, focusing on updating the existing BASA between Nigeria and Barbados and expanding air connectivity across Africa, South America, and the Caribbean.
“In our continued effort to expand air connectivity across South America and the Caribbean, I made a stopover in Barbados, where I was warmly received by the very charismatic and world-renowned Prime Minister of Barbados, the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley,” said Minister Keyamo.
This milestone underscores the Nigerian government’s commitment to international partnership and economic diplomacy, as the nation positions itself as the aviation gateway to Africa from the Caribbean and South America.
