Air Peace has achieved a major milestone in Nigerian aviation with the successful operation of a direct São Paulo–Lagos flight, carrying members of Nigeria’s delegation and private-sector leaders from Brazil.

The flight followed a historic aviation agreement signed in Brasília and witnessed by President Bola Tinubu. On Wednesday, the Presidency of Nigeria shared a photo of the signed statement and a video of the Minister of Aviation addressing the inaugural flight on its official X handle.

According to the Presidency, the flight demonstrates that “Nigerian carriers can compete on global routes, and that Nigeria’s partnerships deliver immediate, tangible results.”

Under the agreement, two Nigerian carriers—Air Peace for passengers and Cavertin for cargo—will commence regular operations on the Lagos–São Paulo route in the last quarter of 2025.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, highlighted the importance of the development, stressing that “a journey that previously took nearly 20 hours through Europe or the Middle East will now be significantly shortened with direct flights operated by Air Peace.”

He also revealed that Air Peace has placed an order for 21 Embraer jets from Brazil, deepening aviation and trade ties between the two countries.

Air Peace Chairman and CEO, Allen Onyema, praised President Tinubu for his role in enabling the breakthrough, saying: “The President has opened the door of the future for Nigeria. Instead of committing two days to travel to Brazil, we now have direct access to South America’s largest economy, just as Nigeria leads in Africa. We need each other, and this partnership will bring immense opportunities.”

The Lagos–São Paulo route is projected to boost trade, investment, tourism, and cultural exchange between Nigeria and Brazil. It also forms part of Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, designed to expand markets, strengthen South–South cooperation, and create new opportunities for Nigerian businesses and travellers.