Nigeria, Brazil set up joint team to finalise direct flight agreement

By Abubakar Yunusa

Nigeria and Brazil have set up a joint team to finalise the direct flight agreement.

Festus Keyamo, Nigeria’s minister of aviation and aerospace development, met with Silvio Costa Filho, Brazil’s minister of ports and airports, at the ministry’s headquarters in Brasília, the capital of the South American country.

On October 7, 2024, Nigeria commenced discussions with Brazil to facilitate direct flights between both countries.

According to a statement on Wednesday 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.

“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,” the statement reads.

“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 emphasised the shared advantages of the initiative, describing it as a mutually beneficial partnership for both countries.

“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,” the minister said.

“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.”

Moshood said 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 Tinubu’s directive to open a direct air corridor between Nigeria and South America.

On Tuesday, the minister held talks with top executives at Embraer, a leading global aircraft manufacturer and lessor, at its headquarters in São José dos Campos, São Paulo.

The discussions centred on strengthening Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem through modern aircraft access, affordable leasing options, and financing for local airline operators.