Video: Nigeria, Brazil set to launch direct flights

Abdullateef Fowewe

Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced a major breakthrough in efforts to establish direct air connectivity between Nigeria and Brazil.

Video link: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMBo1sLqj/

Meeting with his Brazilian counterpart, Minister of Ports and Airports Silvio Costa Filho, in Brasilia, Keyamo revealed that both countries have agreed to immediately set up a joint technical team to draft a new Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA)-the final step before launching direct flights between the two nations.

This was revealed in a terse statement Dailyeconomy obtained from Keyamo on Wednesday.

“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. 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.

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

The ministers emphasised that the new BASA would not only enable direct flights but also boost tourism, trade, and cultural exchange.

Both sides also explored further cooperation in aviation and aerospace development, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria-Brazil relations.