The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Barrister Festus Keyamo SAN has held strategic bilateral meetings with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, and the President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, Abdulaziz Al-Duailej in Riyadh.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Ms. Janet Oputa, said the Minister was accompanied by “the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Captain Chris Najomo, and senior ministry officials, discussions focused on strengthening aviation collaboration between both countries ahead of the 2026 Hajj.”
According to the statement, the key areas of engagement included:
- Review of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) to reflect current realities.
- Update of the 2015 Memorandum of Understanding on pilgrim airlift arrangements.
- Slot allocations for Nigerian airlines for Hajj operations.
- Determination of airlift percentages for both countries’ carriers.
- Enhancing operational efficiency of Nigerian airlines.
Ms. Oputa added that “the engagements were productive, with key decisions reached and promptly communicated to designated airlines, reinforcing Nigeria’s commitment to efficient and seamless Hajj operations.”