A Katsina state ministerial nominee, Senator Hadi Sirika on Wednesday stressed the need for the reintroduction of a national air carrier, saying it would enable Nigeria reciprocate the many bilateral agreements it entered with other nations.

Sirika who is a Pilot and being touted to head the Aviation Ministry during his screening at the senate admitted that he was one of the proponents of a national carrier.

Following the liquidation of the Nigerian Airways in 2002, Nigeria has not been able to utilize the 48 bilateral air service agreements (BASAs) it signed with various countries.

Experts say the BASAs have been mismanaged by the Aviation Ministry at the detriment of the indigenous airlines thereby giving foreign airlines undue advantage.

Responding to questions from Senate President Bukola Saraki during screening exercise monitored by our correspondent, Sirika said having a national carrier would equally crash prices of flight tickets in the country.

He noted for instance that Nigerians pay twice flying from Abuja to London than flying to Accra (Ghana) to London whereas Accra to London route is farther than Abuja to London's.

He said, "Over 90 per cent of the international market has been taken by international airlines that come from other countries and most of them are either state-owned or partly state-owned.

"Second reason is the fact that most of these bilateral agreements that we signed with nations that are into this aviation also become lopsided because more or less Nigeria cannot take advantage of those because we do not have a national carrier or any designated carrier to do that job".