The CEO of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, has confirmed that the airline has secured approval to commence direct passenger flights between Lagos and São Paulo under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) signed between Nigeria and Brazil.
The service, scheduled to begin by late November 2025, will mark the first direct connection between both countries by a Nigerian carrier.
The agreement was concluded in Brasília on Monday by Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and Brazil’s Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Filhos, in the presence of Presidents Bola Tinubu and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Confirming the development to journalists on Tuesday, Onyema described the Lagos–São Paulo route as “long overdue” and a significant boost for Nigeria’s aviation sector, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He noted that the airline would start with three weekly flights, with plans to increase frequency as demand and operational conditions allow.
“Mr Allen Onyema, Air Peace CEO has announced that the airline will commence direct flights from Lagos to São Paulo by late November.
“He made this known to journalists in Brasília on Tuesday, following a bilateral aviation deal signed during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Brazil,” the NAN report read in part.
It further quoted Onyema as saying, “Yeah, we are looking forward to starting operations towards the last week of November to December this year.”
The Presidency also confirmed the development. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, announced that Air Peace will soon begin direct flights from Lagos to São Paulo while disclosing the signing of the BASA between both nations.
What you should know
- In August 2024, Tinubu reaffirmed this commitment during a meeting with Brazil’s newly appointed Ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos Jose Areias, in Abuja.
- He noted that the absence of a direct air link had long limited trade, tourism, and cultural exchange, and urged for concrete steps to bridge the gap.
The direct flight agreement that has now emerged is considered a landmark achievement, extending beyond improved connectivity. It is expected to expand bilateral trade, create fresh investment opportunities, and facilitate the smoother movement of people, goods, and services between Africa’s largest economy and Latin America’s biggest market.
