Nigeria Finally Lands Historic Deal with Caribbean Nation After 20 Years of Waiting

By Achimi Muktar

In a diplomatic and aviation breakthrough that has been two decades in the making, Nigeria has officially signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with Trinidad and Tobago — becoming the first African nation to ink such a deal with a Caribbean country.

The announcement, made by Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, sent ripples through the aviation and diplomatic communities. The signing took place at the VIP lounge of the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad and Tobago, marking a historic moment not just for Nigeria, but for intercontinental cooperation across the Atlantic.

"This agreement has been in limbo for over 20 years," Keyamo said in a statement posted to his official X (formerly Twitter) account. "Today, we finally broke the deadlock."

The long-delayed pact, which had stalled since negotiations began in the early 2000s, opens up direct air connectivity between West Africa and the Caribbean — a strategic move poised to reduce travel time, cut costs, and stimulate tourism and trade across both regions.

But beyond the obvious travel benefits, Keyamo highlighted a deeper significance: the forging of stronger bonds among Global South nations in a time of rapidly shifting global alliances.

“This is more than aviation,” he emphasized. “This is about deepening economic, cultural, and social cooperation between regions that have long shared historical ties but lacked logistical bridges.”

This latest agreement is just one piece of a larger puzzle Nigeria has been putting together in recent months. The country has been aggressively expanding its aviation network with a flurry of strategic BASAs:

In February 2025, Nigeria and the UAE amended their BASA to enhance codeshare arrangements — giving airlines more flexibility and passengers more convenience.

By March 2025, Nigeria finalized a Code-sharing Agreement with Canada, under a renewed BASA, to simplify travel logistics and deepen bilateral ties.

Talks with Brazil are also well advanced. Following a joint commitment by Presidents Tinubu and Lula da Silva in 2024, both nations are moving toward direct flights to connect the African and South American continents.

For decades, African and Caribbean nations have spoken about solidarity, shared ancestry, and mutual interests. But real connectivity — especially in air travel — has lagged. With this new BASA, Nigeria and Trinidad and Tobago are not only making history; they are setting a precedent.

A direct air route between the two nations opens doors for business, education, tourism, and cultural exchange. It could also act as a catalyst for other African and Caribbean nations to follow suit.

After 20 years of diplomatic inertia, Nigeria’s aviation diplomacy has finally taken off — and it’s heading for a future where continents are not just connected by history, but by the very skies above them.