Air Peace has secured formal approval to operate non-stop passenger services between Lagos and São Paulo, a development set to boost ties between Nigeria and Brazil.
The historic route is planned to commence by late November 2025, marking the first direct connection by a Nigerian airline to Brazil.
This new service stems from the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) inked on Monday in Brasília by Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, alongside Brazil’s Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Filhos. Presidents Bola Tinubu and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva witnessed the signing ceremony, stressing the importance of this deal.
Confirming the progress on Tuesday, Air Peace CEO Allen Onyema described the Lagos–São Paulo corridor as a long-awaited breakthrough for the nation’s aviation industry. He explained that the airline will initially offer three flights a week, with intentions to expand the schedule as passenger demand and operational conditions mature.
Onyema shared with reporters in Brazil,
We anticipate starting our operations toward the final week of November through to December this year
The airline chief emphasized how this new service will enhance Nigeria’s connectivity with Latin America.
The Nigerian Presidency also affirmed the arrangement. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, announced the imminent launch of the direct flights coinciding with the signing of the bilateral aviation deal.
The groundwork for this air link was laid during discussions between Presidents Tinubu and Lula da Silva at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa back in February 2024. The plan gained further momentum in August, when Tinubu met Brazil’s ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos Jose Areias, in Abuja, stressing the necessity of bridging the current gap that limits trade, tourism, and cultural exchanges.
Beyond facilitating travel, it is expected to accelerate bilateral commerce, attract new investments, and enable fluid movement of goods and people between Africa’s largest economy and Latin America’s key market.
