Tuesday, September 2, 2025 - The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has said that the planned commencement of direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil is the first tangible fruit of President Bola Tinubu’s shuttle to the South American country.
Keyamo, stated this at the Murtala Muhammed International
Airport Terminal Two (MMIA2), Lagos, after the arrival of the inaugural flight
of Air Peace from Brazil.
Keyamo, commended Tinubu for his remarkable contributions to
the sector and lauded the president for empowering the aviation sector to
deliver this milestone through Air Peace.
He said: “What we are seeing today is the first fruit of the
diplomatic shuttle of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Brazil. In his wisdom, the
President has decided to reopen and expand our economic, diplomatic, and trade
relations with Brazil.
“Brazil is the biggest economy in South America, and Nigeria
is considered the biggest economy in Africa. Connecting these two economies was
key to both presidents.” he said, praising President Tinubu for empowering the
aviation sector to deliver this milestone through Air Peace.”
He further highlighted that Air Peace’s direct service would
simplify travel between Nigeria and Brazil, eliminating the need for long
detours through Europe or the Middle East.
With the new route, flight time is cut to just seven hours
across the Atlantic, a move expected to unlock unprecedented opportunities in
trade, tourism, and cultural exchange.
Keyamo, further expressed that the service would facilitate
onward connections across South America, providing direct access to Nigeria
and, by extension, to Africa, thereby boosting regional and economic
integration.
Also, Dr. Allen Ifechukwu Onyema, Chairman of Air Peace,
commended Tinubu for his visionary leadership and commitment to building a new
Nigeria that offers greater opportunities for its youth.
He stressed that the vision behind Air Peace’s expansion
reflected not only partnership, but also a symbiotic relationship built on
respect and mutual growth.
“The President is not seeking partnerships that will lord
over us. He is seeking partnerships that are symbiotic in nature—not
parasitic—partners who will respect our sovereignty and not bully us,” Onyema
said.
On the broader connectivity impact, he added: “This is not
just a flight; it is a bridge. Connectivity is at the heart of true
partnership. By opening this corridor, we are bringing Nigeria closer to Brazil
and, by extension, to South America and the Caribbean. This is the beginning of
long-lasting opportunities for both regions.”
The new Lagos–Brazil service would operate three times
weekly, with plans to scale up frequency in the near future.
With this development, Air Peace positions Nigeria as the
gateway for West and Central Africa into South America, while simultaneously
giving Brazil onward access across the African continent.
Through this milestone, the airline reaffirmed its role not
only as Nigeria’s leading carrier, but also as a regional connector and a
symbol of Africa’s growing presence on the global aviation stage.
0 Comments