Nigeria, Brazil Advance Plans For Air Service Deal

Nigeria, Brazil Advance Plans For Air Service Deal

Nigeria and Brazil are poised to deepen their aviation partnership as both nations progress toward finalizing a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA).

According to report gathered, the agreement could pave the way for direct flights between the two countries.

This development was shared by Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, via his official X account on Wednesday.

Keyamo noted that both nations revisited their longstanding relationship and recognized the pressing need to enhance aviation ties.

“Yesterday, along with my team, I met my counterpart in the Federative Republic of Brazil, Mr. Silvio Costa Filho, who is the Brazilian Minister of Ports and Airports,” Keyamo stated.

“We met at Brasilia, the headquarters of Brazil. We recalled the historical and cultural links between both countries and discussed the need to remove all the bottlenecks that have since prevented both countries from having a full-blown BILATERAL AIR SERVICE AGREEMENT and immediately set up a joint team to come up with a draft that we hope to consummate in the next few weeks,” he said.

“This is a precursor to opening up the direct air link between both countries.”

In addition to BASA, the discussions extended to broader areas of potential collaboration.

“We also looked at other possible areas of cooperation between both countries in the field of aviation and aerospace development,” Keyamo added.

The anticipated agreement is viewed as a strategic step to enhance tourism, trade, and cultural exchange between Nigeria and Brazil—two major economies in the Global South.

It is worth recalling that in October 2024, Nigeria opened talks with the Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos Garcete, to activate the BASA and commence direct air travel.

This followed a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2018 aimed at strengthening air connectivity and economic cooperation between the two countries.