FG names Air Peace, Caverton for direct flights to Brazil

The federal government has officially designated two Nigerian airlines, Air Peace and Caverton, to operate on the Nigerian-Brazil route.

This announcement was made by the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, through a statement from his Special Adviser, Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood.

Keyamo has initiated discussions with Brazil to establish direct flights between the two nations.

In a recent meeting with the Brazilian Ambassador, Carlos Garcete, the minister highlighted that the push for direct flights aligns with a directive from President Bola Tinubu.

President Tinubu had mandated the activation of a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) and the establishment of direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2018.

The MoU aims to enhance air connectivity and foster economic cooperation between the countries.

During the meeting, both Keyamo and the Brazilian envoy underscored the importance of updating the BASA to reflect current trends and realities in the aviation industry.

“This meeting stems from the mutual interests shared by President Tinubu and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during a meeting in Addis Ababa in February 2024, where they agreed to re-initiate the BASA arrangements, recognizing the cultural and economic ties between Nigeria and Brazil,” the statement said.

Also, Garcete proposed that Nigeria and Brazil could facilitate 4 to 5 flights per week and in turn spark impressive economic growth.

“The introduction of direct flights will spark significant economic growth between our countries,” Garcete stated.