The federal government has signed a bilateral air agreement for a direct air link with Brazil.
The minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who signed for Nigeria, met with his Brazilian counterpart, the Minister of Ports and Airports of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Silvio Costa Filho, at the ministry’s headquarters in Brasília, with the aim of strengthening bilateral relations and fostering connectivity between Africa and South America.
The high-level meeting marked a renewed commitment by both countries to finalize a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) that has long been stalled by bureaucratic bottlenecks.
Speaking at the event, the minister said, “This is going to be a symbiotic relationship — beneficial to you and beneficial to us. Nigeria is the largest country in Africa and Brazil is one of the biggest in South America. No matter how we want to look at it, this air-link must commence without delay.”
Highlighting the unique cultural connection between the two nations, Keyamo added, “Nigeria and Brazil share a common history. We are like brothers and sisters. There is a particular tribe in Nigeria – the Yoruba – who live here in Brazil and still speak the same language. We are like twins separated at birth and now reunited.” The remark sparked laughter and warmth in the room, culminating in a symbolic knuckle exchange between the two Ministers — a gesture that informally signified the sealing of the deal.
“Beyond air connectivity, both Ministers expressed keen interest in exploring additional areas of cooperation in aviation and aerospace development, including knowledge exchange, technical training, infrastructure development, and investment opportunities.”
Special adviser on media and communications to the minister, Tunde Moshood in a statement on Wednesday, said both ministers recalled the deep historical and cultural ties between Nigeria and Brazil and agreed on the urgent need to operationalise a direct air link between the two nations.
The ministers also jointly announced the immediate constitution of a technical working group tasked with drafting and harmonizing the BASA for signature within the coming weeks.
According to Moshood, “This development is seen as a precursor to the commencement of direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil — a major milestone that will open up new opportunities for tourism, trade, and cultural exchange.”
