Nigeria Signs Landmark Air Service Agreement with Brazil, As Air Peace Set To Begin Lagos–São Paulo Flights

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed a landmark Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with Brazil, paving the way for direct air connectivity between Nigeria and South America’s largest economy.

The agreement was formalised on Monday during President Tinubu’s official state visit to Brasília and was witnessed by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, signed the pact on behalf of Nigeria. In contrast, Brazil’s Minister of Transport, Silvio Costa Filho, signed on behalf of the host nation.

According to a statement released by Tunde Moshood, media aide to the Aviation Minister, the BASA is expected to boost trade, tourism, investment, and diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Welcoming the agreement, President Lula described the deal as a reflection of the strong ties between Nigeria and Brazil, noting that it would open doors for deeper cooperation in aviation, agriculture, and infrastructure development.

During his two-day working visit, Tinubu is also scheduled to meet with key Brazilian officials, including the President of the Senate, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, and the President of the Supreme Federal Court. High-level discussions between delegations from both nations will cover opportunities for collaboration across multiple sectors.

In a related development, Nigeria’s largest carrier, Air Peace, is set to commence direct flights from Lagos to São Paulo. Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the development, noting that the arrangement was one of the outcomes of Tinubu’s talks with President Lula.

Nigeria and Brazil expanded their cooperation with the signing of several bilateral agreements covering key sectors, including biotechnology, bioeconomy, ocean science, innovation ecosystems, energy, space development, digital transformation, and raw materials research. The agreements were signed by Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Geoffrey Nnaji, and Brazil’s Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Luciana Santos.

In addition, the Managing Director of Nigeria’s Bank of Agriculture, Ayo Sotinrin, and Brazil’s Minister for the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), Aluísio Mercadante, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen trade and investment cooperation between the two countries. The MoU seeks to harmonise efforts in expanding agricultural financing, promoting investment, and facilitating joint projects between the two nations.

The Nigerian delegation accompanying President Tinubu included the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu; and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, among other senior officials.

It should be recalled that United States President Donald Trump had threatened to impose an additional 10 per cent tariff on countries that support the BRICS alliance, of which Brazil and Nigeria are a part. The threat follows rising tensions between the U.S and the BRICS group. The alliance recently expanded at its 2024 summit in Kazan, Russia.

Read Also: Central African Republic Ratifies Maputo Protocol, Becomes 46th AU Member State To Commit To Women’s Rights.

Nigeria Arrests Palestinian Community Leader Ten Days After Signing ‘ Security’ Pact with Israel

About The Author

Oluwasegun Sanusi

author

See author's posts