Nigeria, Brazil Sign Historic Air Service Agreement to Launch Direct Flights

Nigeria and Brazil have officially sealed a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA), clearing the path for direct flights between both nations in a move hailed as a breakthrough for aviation, trade, and diplomacy.

The pact was signed during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s two-day state visit to Brazil, where he met with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brasília. Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Olorogun Festus Keyamo (SAN), and Brazil’s Minister of Transport, Silvio Costa Filho, signed the agreement in the presence of the two presidents, according to a statement released Monday by Keyamo’s spokesperson, Tunde Moshood.

The BASA, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), establishes a framework for direct air connectivity between Africa’s largest economy and South America’s biggest market. Officials say the arrangement will open new opportunities in trade, tourism, investment, and cultural exchange.

Beyond aviation, both governments believe the deal will deepen collaboration in key sectors such as agriculture and infrastructure.

President Tinubu described the agreement as a “strategic milestone” that reflects his administration’s determination to expand Nigeria’s global partnerships while improving mobility for commerce and people-to-people connections. His Brazilian counterpart, President Lula da Silva, welcomed the development, reaffirming Brazil’s commitment to closer ties with Nigeria.

Background
The idea of establishing direct flights between Lagos and São Paulo was first discussed by Tinubu and Lula during the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa in February 2024. In August of the same year, Tinubu reiterated the importance of the plan when he met with Brazil’s new ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos Jose Areias, in Abuja.

With this agreement, Nigeria and Brazil—two of the largest economies in West Africa and South America—are poised to strengthen economic, diplomatic, and cultural links, creating new opportunities for citizens and businesses across both continents.