West Africa’s largest carrier, Air Peace, will soon begin direct flights between Lagos and São Paulo, Brazil, following a bilateral agreement sealed during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to the South American nation.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, via his X handle.
The deal was concluded after a two-hour meeting between President Tinubu and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the Palácio do Planalto in Brasília, which produced several agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at strengthening trade, connectivity, and diplomatic relations.
At a joint press conference, President Lula confirmed the arrangement, saying: “Increasing the direct connections between Nigeria and Brazil is another essential step to strengthen the ties between our societies. We have approved the launch of a direct flight, to be operated by Nigeria’s largest airline company, Air Peace, between Lagos and São Paulo.”
As part of the agreements, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and Brazil’s Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filhos, signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement to enhance air connectivity.
Other agreements included a diplomatic training cooperation pact signed by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, and Brazil’s Foreign Minister, Ambassador Mauro Vieira, as well as an MoU on political consultations to deepen collaboration on bilateral, regional, and global issues.
Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Geoffrey Nnaji, also signed an MoU with Brazil’s Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Luciana Santos, covering biotechnology, bioeconomy, ocean science, digital transformation, energy, space development, and raw materials research.
In addition, the Managing Director of Nigeria’s Bank of Agriculture, Ayo Sotinrin, signed an MoU with Aluísio Mercadante, Brazil’s Minister for the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), to expand cooperation in agricultural financing, joint projects, and investment promotion.
The agreements mark a milestone in Nigeria-Brazil relations, expected to boost trade, enhance technological collaboration, and improve direct connectivity between Africa and South America.
