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Flight Resumption To UAE: Fears As FG, UAE Agreement Places Nigerian Carriers At Disadvantage

Published

7 months ago

November 30, 2024

Two months after the Nigerian government changed the Bilateral Air Service Agreement, BASA, it had with the United Arab Emirates, UAE, there are growing concerns about how beneficial the new air pact will be to Nigerian airlines.

In September 27, 2024, ahead of Emirates flight resumption, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, in a statement, said Nigeria had concluded reciprocal rights with UAE authority.

The Nigerian government also disclosed that it had set the foundation for a new BASA between both countries to ensure stronger and mutually beneficial aviation ties.

Meanwhile, the issues surrounding the agreement got interesting when a document seen by Vanguard revealed that the federal government may have put designated Nigerian carriers in a difficult situation as they may not enjoy level playing field with UAE airlines.

The 15-page document assessed by industry analysts showed that Nigeria, in uncertain terms, may have altered its aviation treaty with UAE from BASA to what analysts term Open Skies.

In the air transport sector, while BASA confines airline(s) to certain frequencies and destinations, ‘Open Skies’ permits airline(s) to fly on international routes freely and compete openly with one another for passengers.

What does the document entail?
According to the 3,915-word document, the Nigerian delegation that signed the agreement in Dubai on September 30, 2024, included Head of Delegation, Mr Festus Keyamo; Project Monitoring, Mr Issa Osagie; Director Air Transport Regulations Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Mrs Babaoye-Iriobe; Director of Operations Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Captain Abdullahi Mahmood; and Chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria, Mr Abdullahi Ahmed.

Also, the UAE delegation included Head of Delegation, Deputy Director General & Assistant Director General, GCAA, Omar Bin Ghaleb; Senior Director of Air Transport Department, GCAA, Captain Khalid Humaid Al Ali; Expert Air Transport, GCAA, Mr Nasser Mubarak Al Khater;

Senior Lead Air Transport, GCAA, Ms Valerie Beowne; Lead Air Transport, GCAA, Mrs Jawaher Mohammed Al Abdouli; Senior Officer Air Transport, GCAA, Mr Fahad Abdulrahman Al Rais; and Senior Officer Air Transport, GCAA, Mr Hassan Ahmed Barman.

Titled: ‘Protocol Amending the Air Services Agreement between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates Relating to Air Services between and beyond their Respective Territories,’ UAE’s delegation, in the amended air agreement, re-confirmed their designation of Etihad Airways, Emirates Airline, Air Arabia, flydubai, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi as designated airlines, and added that additional UAE airline(s) may be designated in due course by the aeronautical authority of the UAE.

Similarly, the Nigerian delegation re-confirmed their designation of United Nigeria Airlines and Air Peace as designated airlines, noting that additional Nigerian airline(s) may be designated in due course by the aeronautical authority of Nigeria.

On Principles Governing Operation of Agreed Services, Article 5 of the agreed pact states: “Each contracting party shall reciprocally allow the designated airlines of both contracting parties to compete freely in providing the international air transportation governed by this Agreement.

“There shall be no restriction on the capacity and the number of frequencies and/or type(s) of aircraft to be operated by the designated airlines of both contracting parties in any type of service (passenger, cargo, separately or in combination). Each designated airline is permitted to determine the frequency, capacity it offers on the agreed services.

“Neither contracting party shall unilaterally limit the volume of traffic, frequencies, regularity of service or the aircraft type(s) operated by the designated airlines of the other contracting party, except as may be required for customs, technical, operational or environmental requirements under uniform conditions consistent with Article 16 of the Convention.”

In Article 2, the agreement partly states: “The designated airlines of each contracting party shall enjoy the following rights: to fly across the Territory of the other contracting party without landing; to make stops in the Territory of the other contracting party for nontraffic purposes, and to make stops in the Territory of the other Contracting Party, for the purpose of taking on and/or discharging international traffic in passengers, baggage and cargo, separately or in any combination, while operating the agreed services.

“If because of armed conflict, political disturbances or developments or special and unusual circumstances a designated airline of one contracting party is unable to operate a service on its normal routing, the other contracting party shall use its best efforts to facilitate the continued operation of such service through appropriate temporary rearrangement of routes as is mutually decided by the contracting parties. The designated airlines shall have the right to use all airways, airports and other facilities provided by the contracting parties on a non-discriminatory basis.”

In addition, Section 1 of the agreement states that designated airline(s) of the UAE can operate from any point in the UAE to any point in Nigeria. For intermediate and beyond points, it states: “Any points.”

Section 2 of the deal states that designated Nigerian airline(s) can operate from any point in the UAE to any point in Nigeria. For intermediate and beyond points, it states: “Any points.”

On the operation of the agreed services, the revised deal says: “Designated airline(s) of both contracting parties are entitled to exercise, in any type of service (passenger, cargo, separately or in combination), full fifth freedom traffic rights to/from any intermediate or beyond point(s) without any restriction whatsoever.

“Designated airline(s) of both contracting parties are entitled, either as operating carrier or marketing carrier, to exercise own stopover rights at any intermediate point(s) and/or beyond point(s), as well as at points within the Territory of the other contracting party. For services within the Territory of the other contracting party, these rights are to be exercised without cabotage.”

Contacted to evaluate the air pact, a senior official faulted it, asserting: “This appears like an Open Skies.”

Speaking to Vanguard on the condition of anonymity, he explained that when a country’s airlines cannot compete with mega carriers, they are protected.

The official said: “You don’t open your market when you cannot compete. What everybody does is to first protect their market and let it grow. Here in Nigeria, our airlines are dying because they are not economically viable, yet you are now telling people (UAE carriers) to fly into any part of the country. That’s not protecting your own. You must try to protect your own.”

Also speaking to Vanguard, an industry analyst questioned the rationale behind such an agreement, saying: “Nigeria is a signatory to the Single African Air Transport Market, SAATM. Yet, you are not giving African airlines fifth freedom. You are giving it to UAE carriers. Our airlines should be fighting this thing. Why are they keeping quiet?”

The analyst, who didn’t want his name in print, also noted that the representative of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, at the meeting was not the AON president.

“Why is somebody sitting on a bilateral agreement bearing the name of president when he is not the president of the AON? What is going on here? That is a very serious issue,” he insisted.

Explaining the fifth freedom, an industry analyst, who didn’t want to be named, told Vanguard: “If given fifth freedom, a country’s airline(s) can make a pit stop and carry passengers while on its way. What it means is that you have eroded the local market. Let us say a UAE carrier is coming from Accra or Niger, what it will do is to go to Kano, pick passengers.

“It will go to Port Harcourt, pick passengers. Without making a final stop, it will go to Lagos and pick passengers. It is a right for flight beyond. Fifth freedom is granted, but granted in a situation where your carriers are very strong.

“Already, our carriers cannot even compete with Emirates and other Middle East carriers. So, what they will do is to clean the market here. They can deploy two flights daily from Accra to just clean the market. They do not even need to start operating to Nigeria. Although five of our airlines, like theirs, can go to the UAE if they like, do we have the capacity? We have put UAE airlines at an advantage over ours.”

Meanwhile, an industry observer, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard in confidence, called for a review.

According to him, the country will start seeing the effect of the deal when flydubai and Etihad begin operating to Nigeria.

He said: “It is when these airlines start coming that we will begin to see the serious effect because they will clean the market. However, agreements are bound to be renegotiated. If a party feels that it is short-changed or it is not getting any benefit from it, they can come for a review. There is no permanent agreement. Agreements are reviewed as time goes on. We can do that.”
VANGUARD

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We Would Have Killed Iran’s Supreme Leader If Given Opportunity – Israel

Published

3 hours ago

June 27, 2025

Editor

Defence Minister Israel Katz told media that Israel would have killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the war between the two countries if the opportunity had presented itself.

“If he had been in our sights, we would have taken him out,” Katz told Israel’s public radio station Kan Thursday evening, adding that the military had “searched a lot”.

“Khamenei understood this, went very deep underground, broke off contact with the commanders… so in the end it wasn’t realistic,” Katz told Kan.

He told Israeli television Channel 13 Thursday that Israel would cease its assassination attempts because “there is a difference between before the ceasefire and after the ceasefire”.

Katz had said during the war that Khamenei “can no longer be allowed to exist”, just days after reports that Washington vetoed Israeli plans to assassinate him.

But on Kan, Katz advised Khamenei to remain inside a bunker.

“He should learn from the late Nasrallah, who sat for a long time deep in the bunker”, he said, referring to Lebanese militant group Hezbollah’s former leader Hassan Nasrallah, who Israel killed in a Beirut air strike in September 2024.

The movements of the supreme leader, who has not left Iran since he took power, are subject to the tightest security and secrecy.

Katz said Thursday that Israel maintained its aerial superiority over Iran and that it was ready to strike again.

“We won’t let Iran develop nuclear weapons and threaten (Israel) with long-range missiles”, he said.

In his Channel 12 interview, Katz admitted that Israel does not know the location of all of Iran’s enriched uranium, but that its air strikes had destroyed the Islamic republic’s uranium enrichment capabilities.

“The material itself was not something that was supposed to be neutralised,” he said of the enriched uranium.

The impact of Israeli and US strikes on Iran’s nuclear programme has been a subject to debate.

A leaked US intelligence assessment estimated the programme to have set Iran back a few months, while Katz and other Israeli and US public figures said the damage would take years to rebuild.

Israel and Iran each claimed victory in a 12-day war that ended with a ceasefire on June 24.

The war erupted on June 13 when Israel launched a bombing campaign that it said aimed to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon — an ambition Iran has consistently denied.

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10 African Countries With Highest Military Spending In 2025

Published

1 day ago

June 26, 2025

Editor

The reality of African military spending in 2025 is shaped by geography, political dynamics, economic capability and regional threats.

Defence budgets across Africa are telling a story of evolving priorities. While some countries are pouring resources into modernising their armed forces, others are focusing on stabilising fragile internal structures or managing limited resources in the face of growing security threats. The top military spenders on the continent this year reflect this diversity in strategy and circumstance.

At the top of the list is Algeria, with a defence allocation of around $25 billion. This comes as little surprise given the country’s longstanding military tradition and its interest in maintaining regional dominance. Algeria has been particularly focused on modernising its air defence and acquiring advanced military hardware. With ongoing tensions involving its neighbour Morocco and instability in nearby Sahel countries, Algeria’s military investment is not only about deterrence but also about preparedness.

Morocco comes in second, spending approximately $13.4 billion on its defence sector. Much of Morocco’s budget is believed to go toward upgrading its air force and surveillance capabilities. The ongoing situation in Western Sahara continues to influence the country’s military posture, and Morocco has increasingly turned to Western suppliers for equipment. Its investment strategy also reflects a broader ambition to assert influence and ensure national security amid rising regional instability.

Egypt remains a heavyweight in African military affairs, with nearly $6 billion dedicated to defence this year. The country maintains one of the largest and most experienced armed forces in Africa. Egypt’s strategic location and ties to global powers play a major role in shaping its military spending. Its focus areas include naval strength in the Red Sea, border protection, and counterterrorism operations in the Sinai region. A significant portion of Egypt’s budget also supports joint military exercises and maintaining long-term partnerships with Western allies.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is allocating around $3.1 billion to its military in 2025. Faced with persistent insurgencies in the northeast, rising cases of banditry, and threats to oil infrastructure, Nigeria is investing more in surveillance, tactical response, and mobility. However, despite the budget size, questions persist about how effectively these resources are managed. Internal inefficiencies and corruption have often limited the impact of military spending, although reforms are slowly gaining traction.

Libya, despite enduring years of political fragmentation and conflict, ranks fifth with $3 billion in defence expenditure. The country’s spending is shaped largely by the need to rebuild military institutions and secure borders that have long been porous. Though rival factions still hold sway in different regions, recent moves toward unification have led to increased central oversight of defence funding. Libya’s military priorities include stabilising key infrastructure, reducing foreign military involvement, and restoring national cohesion.

South Africa, with a budget of roughly $2.3 billion, is the highest spender in Sub-Saharan Africa after Nigeria. The country faces fewer direct security threats than others on this list, but it maintains a capable and relatively advanced defence sector. Budget limitations in recent years have led to ageing equipment and recruitment challenges. Even so, South Africa continues to contribute to regional peacekeeping missions and has been increasing its focus on cyber defence and modernisation through strategic planning.

Ethiopia’s military spending stands at about $2.1 billion this year. Following recent internal conflicts, the country is focused on rebuilding and restructuring its military forces. Spending is expected to go toward restocking supplies, increasing professionalism in the ranks, and improving border security, particularly with Sudan and Eritrea. Given its geographic location and history of regional involvement, Ethiopia’s defence capabilities are considered crucial not only for internal stability but also for regional balance.

Tanzania is allocating approximately 1.4 billion dollars to its defence sector in 2025. Though not frequently in the headlines for security concerns, Tanzania quietly invests in protecting its borders, maintaining internal stability, and supporting African Union peacekeeping operations. Its military also contributes to anti-narcotics efforts and maritime safety, given its coastal location. Recent moves show a growing interest in enhancing training programs and building stronger ties with foreign partners for logistics and support.

Tunisia matches Tanzania’s budget with a similar figure of 1.4 billion dollars. In Tunisia’s case, much of the defence spending is directed toward counterterrorism and intelligence operations. The country has faced several security incidents over the past decade and has prioritised preventing extremist activities, particularly in remote border areas. Efforts have also been made to modernise internal security structures and improve cybersecurity, often with the support of international partners who view Tunisia as a strategic bridge between Africa and Europe.

Kenya closes the list with a defence budget of $1.3 billion. The country has played a consistent role in regional peacekeeping, especially in Somalia. Its military priorities include border security, maritime surveillance, and improving response to terrorism-related threats in the northeastern regions. Kenya has been working to modernise its force structure, with growing investments in technology, training, and partnerships with countries that support its regional security mission.

Country Budget Military Rank in Africa

1 Algeria $25.0 billion 1st

2 Morocco $13.4 billion 4th

3 Egypt $5.9 billion 2nd

4 Nigeria $3.1 billion 3rd

5 Libya $3.0 billion 9th

6 South Africa $2.3 billion 5th

7 Ethiopia $2.1 billion 6th

8 Tanzania $1.4 billion 10th

9 Tunisia $1.4 billion 8th

10 Kenya $1.3 billion 7th

Headline

Africa Loses $7bn Annually On Medical Tourism – Afreximbank

Published

1 day ago

June 26, 2025

Editor

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) says Nigeria and other African nations are losing billions of dollars annually to medical tourism.

Afreximbank’s Export Development Managing Director, Mrs Oluranti Doherty, made the assertion while speaking at the 32nd Afreximbank Annual Meetings (AAM2025) in Abuja on Thursday.

Doherty said the trend was hindering economic development and local healthcare infrastructure.

She identified the soaring costs of medical tourism as a major drain on African economies.

According to her, Nigeria alone loses an estimated $1.1 billion annually to medical tourism, while the entire African continent collectively forfeits approximately $7 billion yearly.

“We had our member countries losing a lot of foreign exchange to medical tourism.

“We just talked about Nigeria, where our medical tourism annually is about $1.1 billion.

“The entire continent is about $7 billion just because we can’t help ourselves with ourselves when we come up with chronic diseases.

“ That’s money that’s going to other economies, building up their institutions,” she said.

She noted that the capital outflow diverts funds that could be invested in local healthcare.

Doherty added that the development contributes to a “brain drain” of skilled medical professionals from the continent.

“Another thing we noted was a great way we were losing a lot of our good talents.
“The best of talents in the health sector were going out of the continent, working in places such as India, Asia, Middle East, America, and that often was an issue,” she said.

Doherty said the bank launched its Health and Medical Tourism Programme in 2012 long before the broader recognition of healthcare’s connection to economic security in response to the challenge.

“Afreximbank was innovative. I call us the innovative financier, innovative investors.

“We recognised this part since 2012 and we set about doing something about it.

“A key initiative borne from this foresight is the Africa Medical Center of Excellence (AMCE) in Abuja, a 170-bed facility boasting state-of-the-art equipment, including an 18 MeV cyclotron, a three-Tesla MRI, and a 20-bed ICU.

“Afreximbank has invested over $450 million to establish and scale up this project,” she said.

The official praised the leadership behind the AMCE, noting, “Afreximbank had to go where no one has gone before; Afreximbank’s leaders adhered to the dreamers.

“The AMCE aims to provide healthcare services comparable to global standards, not just African standards.

“I’m talking about global standard. I’m talking about Africans coming up with solutions to challenge,” she said.

She, however, stressed the need to build trust in local healthcare facilities and ensure access for all to stem medical tourism.