The Federal Government is on the brink of finalising a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with Brazil to enable direct flights between the countries.

The agreement was signed by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and his Brazilian counterpart, the Minister of Ports and Airports of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Mr. Silvio Costa Filho, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Brasília.

The high-level meeting marked a renewed commitment by both countries to finalize a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) that has long been stalled by bureaucratic bottlenecks.

Keyamo’s media aide, Tunde Moshood, in a statement, said that Ministers recalled the deep historical and cultural ties between Nigeria and Brazil and agreed on the urgent need to operationalize a direct air link between the two nations.

The Ministers jointly announced the immediate constitution of a technical working group tasked with drafting and harmonising the BASA for signature within the coming weeks.

This development, according to the statement, is a precursor to the commencement of direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil, a major milestone that will open up new opportunities for tourism, trade, and cultural exchange.

Speaking through an interpreter during the bilateral engagement, Keyamo emphasised the mutual benefits of the initiative.

“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,” he said.

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.