Nigeria and Brazil have taken a significant step towards strengthening their bilateral ties by signing a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA). This landmark agreement, concluded in Brasília, establishes a new framework for direct air connectivity between the two nations, promising to unlock fresh avenues for trade, tourism, investment, and people-to-people exchanges.

The agreement was formally signed by Nigeria's Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and Brazil's Minister of Transport (also referred to as Minister of Ports and Airports), Silvio Costa Filho. This strategic milestone underscores President Bola Tinubu's administration's commitment to expanding Nigeria's global partnerships and creating an enabling environment for commerce and mobility. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also lauded the partnership, expressing Brazil's readiness to deepen ties with Nigeria across various sectors, including aviation, agriculture, and infrastructure development.

This development follows President Tinubu's visit to Brazil, accompanied by senior cabinet members, during which a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formalising the BASA was a major highlight. The MOU signifies a crucial step in bolstering the relationship between Nigeria and Brazil, recognised as the two largest economies on their respective continents.

Further advancing this agreement, Air Peace, a Nigerian carrier, has secured approval to commence direct passenger flights between Lagos, Nigeria, and São Paulo, Brazil. The airline's Chief Executive Officer, Allen Onyema, confirmed that the Lagos-São Paulo route is