Nigeria and Brazil Set to Sign Bilateral Air Services Agreement for Direct Flights

Nigeria and Brazil are poised to deepen their aviation partnership as both nations advance towards finalizing a Bilateral Air Service Agreement, potentially paving the way for direct flights between them.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, shared the update on his official X account on Wednesday.

“Yesterday, along with my team, I met my counterpart in the Federative Republic of Brazil, Mr. Silvio Costa Filho, who is the Brazilian Minister of Ports and Airports,” Keyamo stated.

Keyamo said both parties revisited their longstanding ties and acknowledged the urgent need to solidify aviation relations.

“We met at Brasilia, the headquarters of Brazil. We recalled the historical and cultural links between both countries and discussed the need to remove all the bottlenecks that have since prevented both countries from having a full-blown BILATERAL AIR SERVICE AGREEMENT and immediately set up a joint team to come up with a draft that we hope to consummate in the next few weeks,” he said.

“This is a precursor to opening up the direct air link between both countries.”

“We also looked at other possible areas of cooperation between both countries in the field of aviation and aerospace development,” Keyamo added.

The proposed Bilateral Air Service Agreement between Nigeria and Brazil is being hailed as a strategic initiative aimed at boosting tourism, trade, and cultural exchange between two of the largest economies in the Global South.

Talks to activate the agreement began in October 2024, when Nigerian officials met with Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos Garcete, to discuss launching direct flight routes. This meeting builds on a 2018 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) designed to enhance air connectivity and economic collaboration between the two nations.

Ambassador Garcete emphasized the potential impact of direct flights, noting that both countries could support 4 to 5 weekly connections, potentially transforming economic and cultural ties.

“The introduction of direct flights will spark significant economic growth between our countries,” he stated.

The ambassador also stressed the importance of finalizing the Open Skies Agreement to fully unlock the potential of the proposed direct flights.

Minister Festus Keyamo noted that once the Bilateral Air Service Agreement is concluded, Nigerian carriers Air Peace and Caverton have been designated to operate the route, positioning them to capitalize on the expanded travel corridor.