Nigeria and Brazil have set up a joint team to finalise the direct flight agreement.
Gatekeepers News reports that this follows a high-level meeting between Festus Keyamo, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, and Silvio Costa Filho, Brazil’s Minister of Ports and Airports, at the ministry’s headquarters in Brasília.
Nigeria had commenced discussions with Brazil to facilitate direct flights between both countries on 7 October, 2024.
According to a statement by Tunde Moshood, special adviser on media and communications to the minister; the meeting marked a renewed commitment by both countries to finalise the bilateral air service agreement (BASA) that has long been stalled by bureaucratic bottlenecks.
The statement reads, “Both ministers recalled the deep historical and cultural ties between Nigeria and Brazil and agreed on the urgent need to operationalise a direct air link between the two nations.”
“To this end, the ministers jointly announced the immediate constitution of a technical working group tasked with drafting and harmonising the BASA for signature within the coming weeks.”
“This development is seen as a precursor to the commencement of direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil – a major milestone that will open up new opportunities for tourism, trade, and cultural exchange.”
Speaking at the bilateral meeting, Keyamo highlighted the shared advantages of the initiative, describing it as a mutually beneficial partnership for both countries.
He said, “Nigeria is the largest country in Africa, and Brazil is one of the biggest in South America. No matter how we want to look at it, this air link must commence without delay.”
“Nigeria and Brazil share a common history. We are like brothers and sisters. There is a particular tribe in Nigeria — the Yoruba — who live here in Brazil and still speak the same language. We are like twins separated at birth and now reunited.”
The ministers also showed strong interest in expanding collaboration beyond air connectivity to include areas such as knowledge sharing, technical training, infrastructure development, and investment prospects in aviation and aerospace.
The meeting in Brasília is part of Keyamo’s ongoing working visit to Brazil, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to open a direct air corridor between Nigeria and South America.
As part of the trip, Keyamo also met with senior executives of Embraer, a leading aircraft manufacturer, at its São José dos Campos headquarters in São Paulo.
The discussions centred on strengthening
Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem through modern aircraft access, affordable leasing options, and financing for local airline operators.
