The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development of Nigeria, Festus Keyamo and Brazil’s Minister of Ports and Airports, Mr. Silvio Filho, have announced the immediate constitution of a technical working group tasked with drafting and harmonising the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) that has long been stalled by bureaucratic bottlenecks.
Keyamo in a statement Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, noted that the harmonisation would lead to the signing of the BASA agreeing the coming weeks.
The development is seen as a precursor to the commencement of direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil — a major milestone that would open up new opportunities for tourism, trade, and cultural exchange.
During the meeting in Brasil, both ministers recalled the deep historical and cultural ties between Nigeria and Brazil and agreed on the urgent need to operationalise a direct air link between the two nations.
Speaking through an interpreter during the bilateral engagement, Keyamo emphasised the mutual benefits of the initiative.
He said: “This is going to be a symbiotic relationship — beneficial to you and beneficial to us.
“Nigeria is the largest country in Africa and Brazil is one of the biggest in South America. No matter how we want to look at it, this air-link must commence without delay.”
Keyamo added: “Nigeria and Brazil share a common history. We are like brothers and sisters.
There is a particular tribe in Nigeria — the Yoruba — who live here in Brazil and still speak the same language. We are like twins separated at birth and now reunited.”
Beyond air connectivity, both ministers expressed keen interest in exploring additional areas of cooperation in aviation and aerospace development, including knowledge exchange, technical training, infrastructure development, and investment opportunities.