The federal government has commenced discussions with Brazil with a view to activate direct flights between the two countries.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo initiated the talk with the Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos Garcete.
This, according to the minister, was in line with the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to activate the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) and direct flights between the two countries.
This strategic meeting follows the MoU signed between the two nations in 2018, aimed at boosting air connectivity and economic cooperation.
This is just as two Nigerian airlines, Air Peace and Caverton, have been designated to operate on this route.
Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser, Media and Communications to the minister in a statement explained that Keyamo and the Brazilian envoy during their meeting emphasised the need for new BASA arrangements to reflect current realities in the aviation world.
“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 reinitiate the BASA arrangements, recognizing the cultural and economic ties between Nigeria and Brazil,” he said.
Speaking on the importance of the direct flights, Ambassador Garcete proposed that both nations could facilitate 4 to 5 flights per week.
“The introduction of direct flights will spark significant economic growth between our countries,” he stated.