West Africa’s largest airline, Air Peace, will soon commence direct flights from Lagos to São Paulo, Brazil, following a landmark agreement reached during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to the South American nation.
The announcement was disclosed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, in a post on his X handle on Tuesday.
The deal was finalised after an expanded two-hour bilateral meeting between President Tinubu and his Brazilian counterpart, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, at the Palácio do Planalto in Brasília. The talks culminated in the signing of multiple agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at boosting trade, connectivity, and diplomatic cooperation between both nations.
Speaking at a joint press conference with President Tinubu, President Lula confirmed the agreement, stating: “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 and foster trade and people-to-people ties.
Additionally, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, and Brazil’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mauro Vieira, signed an agreement on Diplomatic Training Cooperation, alongside an MoU on political consultations to strengthen 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 partnerships in biotechnology, bioeconomy, ocean science, innovation ecosystems, energy, space development, digital transformation, and raw materials research.
In another significant development, the Managing Director of Nigeria’s Bank of Agriculture, Ayo Sotinrin, and Brazil’s Minister for the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), Aluísio Mercadante, signed an MoU for cooperation on trade and investment promotion, designed to harmonise efforts to expand agricultural financing, joint projects, and investment opportunities.
The agreements mark a major milestone in strengthening Nigeria-Brazil relations, positioning both countries for deeper economic, technological, and cultural cooperation while improving direct connectivity between Africa and South America.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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