Air Peace, Nigeria’s national carrier, has announced plans to commence direct flights from Lagos to Brazil in November 2025.
The move follows President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s approval for the airline to operate flights between Lagos and São Paulo, under a bilateral air services agreement (BASA) signed during President Bola Tinubu’s recent state visit to Brazil.
Allen Onyema, chief executive officer (CEO) of Air Peace, described the BASA as a landmark achievement and a major boost for Tinubu’s administration.
“The Brazilian economy is the largest in Latin America. The Nigerian economy is the largest in Africa. Both countries are very rich, both in human and natural resources,” Onyema said. “They need to tap into this. But without aviation, it is very difficult for some of these things to be actualised.”
Onyema noted that aviation is a “catalyst for development,” stressing that the new route is vital for economic growth. He disclosed that operations would begin between late November and early December with three weekly flights on the Lagos–Rio de Janeiro–São Paulo–Lagos route, with plans to scale up as demand grows.
“We cannot start daily flights for now, but we want to start with three weekly flights. As we go on, we’ll develop the route and increase the frequency,” he said.
Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, hailed the BASA as a bridge to rekindle deep historical and cultural ties between Nigeria and Brazil, dating back centuries.
Reflecting on the shared past, Idris recalled the “350 years of slavery between Africa and Brazil” and described the agreement as a step to “reconnect, rebuild, and invest” across economic, financial, social, and cultural spheres.
He added that the direct flights would save travelers at least seven hours of travel time.
“Our journey, as a guest, going around the whole of Europe before you come to Brazil, took us more than 24 hours from Abuja to this place. Now, this has been cut down by about seven hours,” he said.
Idris further explained that the new route was the product of a series of reciprocal official visits and cooperation talks, including engagements between Nigerian ministers of health, aviation, and science and technology with their Brazilian counterparts.
