Nigeria and Brazil have taken a major step towards activating the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) and initiating direct flights between the two nations.
The move is expected to boost air connectivity, economic cooperation, and cultural exchanges between the two countries.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Minister, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has been holding high-level discussions with the Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos Garcete, to finalize the new BASA arrangements.
The talks are a follow-up to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two nations in 2018, aimed at enhancing air connectivity and economic cooperation.
During the discussions, both envoys emphasized the need for new BASA arrangements to reflect current realities in the aviation world.
The meeting is a direct result of the mutual interests shared by President Bola 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.
Ambassador Garcete highlighted the potential for immediate commencement of flight services, noting that both nations could facilitate 4 to 5 flights per week.
He also emphasized the need to finalize the Open Skies Agreement to fully enable the proposed flights.
The aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo SAN, expressed optimism about the potential economic impact of the BASA, stating that the activation of direct flights will not only enhance trade but also strengthen cultural and social exchanges between the two nations.
To ensure the smooth finalization of this initiative, both countries have agreed to set up committees to draft and finalize a new BASA arrangements.
Two Nigerian airlines, Air Peace and Caverton, have been designated to operate on this route, further underscoring the strategic partnership between the two nations.
With the operationalization of this agreement, the Nigerian aviation industry is set for enhanced growth and expanded international reach.
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