The Federal Government has explained why Nigeria entered into a bilateral agreement with Cameroon on technical aeronautical search and rescue operations.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the agreement is aimed at enhancing aviation safety and ensuring faster response to air emergencies across the shared airspace of both countries.

Nigeria and Cameroon formally signed the agreement in Yaoundé on Friday after high-level talks between Keyamo and Cameroon’s Minister of Transport, Jean Ernest NgalNgallé Bibehe.

Keyamo disclosed the development on Saturday via his official X account.

He said the agreement between the Nigeria and Cameroon would strengthen airspace safety by enabling faster and more coordinated responses to aviation emergencies, particularly within border regions.

“This agreement enhances airspace safety by enabling faster and more coordinated responses to aviation emergencies across our shared borders,” the minister stated.

The agreement establishes a framework for technical cooperation between both nations in handling aircraft distress situations occurring in or near their shared airspace.

The Nigerian delegation to the signing ceremony included the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, and key directors from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.

Keyamo noted that the composition of the delegation was deliberate to ensure a unified approach to implementation from the outset.

The development comes months after a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft made an emergency landing in Burkina Faso following a mid-flight technical fault. The 11 military personnel on board were detained for nine days over allegations of airspace violation before diplomatic intervention secured their release.

Observers say the new bilateral agreement is expected to reduce the likelihood of similar incidents and strengthen regional aviation cooperation.