Brasília, Brazil – Friday, August 29, 2025
Nigeria and Brazil have signed a landmark Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) aimed at opening direct air links between Lagos and São Paulo before the end of 2025.
The agreement was formalised in Brasília during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Brazil, with Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, and Brazil’s Transport Minister, Silvio Costa Filho, signing on behalf of their respective governments. Both President Tinubu and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva witnessed the signing.
Under the deal, Nigerian carrier Air Peace has secured approval to operate direct flights between Lagos and São Paulo, with services expected to commence between late November and December 2025. The airline plans three weekly flights on the route, which is projected to reduce travel time from more than 24 hours via Europe to approximately seven hours.
Government officials said the BASA will deepen bilateral ties, boosting trade, tourism, investment, and cultural exchange between Africa’s largest economy and South America’s largest nation.
However, reports claiming that the National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers (NANPF) commended the agreement as a “game-changer for Nigerian sports” remain unverified, as no official statement or record from the association supports the claim.
This deal marks the latest step in strengthening Nigeria–Brazil relations, with aviation stakeholders describing the development as a major milestone for regional and global connectivity.
