In a major step toward deepening ties between Africa and South America, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, met with Brazil’s Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho at the ministry’s headquarters in Brasília to finalise plans for a direct air link between the two nations.
The high-level meeting marked renewed momentum in concluding a long-pending Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA), which had been stalled by bureaucratic delays. Both ministers acknowledged the deep historical and cultural connections between Nigeria and Brazil and agreed on the urgent need to activate direct flights to enhance trade, tourism and people-to-people exchange.
To fast-track implementation, the ministers announced the immediate formation of a technical working group tasked with harmonising the BASA and preparing it for signing within weeks – a step that sets the stage for regular commercial flights between the two regional powers.
“This is going to be a symbiotic relationship – beneficial to you and beneficial to us,” Keyamo stated during the meeting. “Nigeria is the largest country in Africa and Brazil one of the biggest in South America. This air link must commence without delay.”
Keyamo also emphasised the unique cultural bond shared by both countries, referencing the Yoruba population in Brazil that retains cultural and linguistic ties to Nigeria. “We are like twins separated at birth and now reunited,” he said, drawing laughter and a warm response that ended in a symbolic knuckle bump between the two ministers – a lighthearted yet meaningful gesture symbolizing agreement.
Beyond connectivity, the two leaders expressed a shared interest in expanding collaboration in aviation and aerospace development, including technical training, knowledge exchange, infrastructure development and foreign investment.
The renewed commitment signals a significant step forward in Nigeria-Brazil relations and paves the way for increased regional integration between the African and South American continents.
