Nigeria and Brazil have taken a new step to strengthen relations with the announcement of a direct flight service between Lagos and São Paulo. The service, which will be operated by Nigeria’s largest airline, Air Peace, was revealed during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Brazil.
The announcement was made by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at a joint press conference with President Tinubu after a two-hour bilateral meeting in Brasília, the capital city of Brazil. The two leaders discussed trade, diplomacy, and innovation, with aviation placed at the centre of stronger ties between both nations.
According to a statement posted on Tuesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, the direct flight will mark a new era of travel and business between Africa’s most populous country and South America’s largest economy. President da Silva said the new service is a critical step in building people-to-people relations and economic cooperation.
“Increasing the direct connections between Nigeria and Brazil is another essential step to strengthen the ties between our societies,” President da Silva said. “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.”
The launch follows the signing of a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) on Monday by Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and Brazil’s Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Filhos. The deal is expected to ease travel, encourage tourism, and open up trade opportunities between the two nations.
Observers say the route will also boost cultural ties, considering the strong historical links between Nigeria and Brazil, with millions of Afro-Brazilian descendants tracing their roots to Nigeria.
In addition to the aviation deal, the visit also produced several important memoranda of understanding across different sectors. Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, and Brazil’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mauro Vieira, signed an agreement on Diplomatic Training Cooperation. The two ministers also endorsed a memorandum on political consultations, which will allow both countries to deepen collaboration on bilateral, regional, and international issues.
Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Nnaji, also signed a major cooperation agreement with Brazil’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Luciana Santos. The agreement covers partnerships in biotechnology, bioeconomy, ocean science, energy, space development, digital transformation, and innovation ecosystems. This is expected to open opportunities for knowledge exchange, joint research, and capacity building in critical areas of science and technology.
To further boost economic cooperation, Nigeria’s Bank of Agriculture signed a memorandum of understanding with Brazil’s National Bank for Economic and Social Development. The agreement was signed by the Managing Director of Nigeria’s Bank of Agriculture, Ayo Sotinrin, and Brazil’s Minister, Aluísio Mercadante. It is aimed at promoting agricultural financing, encouraging investment, and launching joint development projects in trade and agriculture.
The Punch reports that these agreements are expected to provide a framework for both nations to expand cooperation not just in aviation and trade, but also in technology, science, agriculture, and diplomacy.
For Nigeria, the direct Lagos–São Paulo route will be another milestone for Air Peace, which has been pushing to expand its international network in recent years. The airline, founded by Allen Onyema, currently operates regional and international flights to several destinations, and the new South America service is expected to further boost its global profile.
Travel experts say the flight could also encourage greater tourism and business opportunities for Nigerians, as Brazil is a major economy with strong industrial and agricultural sectors. Similarly, Brazilians will find it easier to travel directly to Nigeria, Africa’s largest market, for trade and investment opportunities.
The state visit of President Bola Tinubu to Brazil is seen as part of his administration’s wider foreign policy strategy to build stronger ties with key global economies. With both nations sharing historical, cultural, and economic links, the agreements signed are expected to deepen cooperation and create long-term benefits for citizens of both countries.
The Lagos–São Paulo direct flight is scheduled to begin operations after the final technical and regulatory processes are completed, making it the first direct connection between Nigeria and Brazil in many years.
