Awaiting Air Peace’s Brazil Service

Chinedu Eze

Last year, Nigeria’s leading carrier, Air Peace, hinted that it would expand its international flight operations to cover Brazil and other countries, but the plan was concluded in August when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu visited the South American nation.

One of the Nigerian entrepreneurs that accompanied him was the Chairman of Air Peace, Dr. Allen Onyema, who used the opportunity to reinforce the expansion plan, which became more realistic with President Tinubu’s endorsement and approval.

The airline secured approval from the federal government to commence direct passenger flights between Lagos and São Paulo under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) signed between Nigeria and Brazil. Air Peace had longed to operate the route because of the cultural affinity between Nigeria and Brazil coupled with the growing business between the two countries.

The Nigeria-Brazil route will provide key access point into South America for African travellers, while also offering Brazilians onward links across Africa. In addition, over the years there has been cultural exchange and trips of Brazilian citizens to Nigeria in religious pilgrimage visit to South West Nigeria religious festivals such as Olojo festival in Ile-Ife and ceremonies honouring Orishas. The visits have increased over the years and have made direct flight service between the two countries very necessary.

Nigeria signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) prelude to the launch of flights between the two countries and Air Peace projected that it would start operating the route in March, 2026.

Explaining why it is engaging in long preparation for the route, the airline, in a statement, said: “An MoU is a statement of intent between governments to deepen bilateral cooperation. It is neither a ticket sale nor a flight schedule, and it does not constitute a guarantee of immediate commencement of operations. In aviation practice, several mandatory processes must be concluded after an MoU before any flight can operate.

“International long-haul operations require multiple regulatory and operational approvals that cannot be fast-tracked by publicity or political goodwill. These include, but are not limited to Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) implementation frameworks, approval from Brazil’s civil aviation authority (ANAC), Slot allocations at São Paulo airport, safety, insurance, and ETOPS certifications, aircraft deployment planning and route economics.”

On the capacity to operate the route, the airline stated that it has the requisite equipment to operate the route, as the airline currently has four Boeing 777-200/300 aircraft in its fleet. Two are deployed on the London Heathrow and London Gatwick routes, while the remaining two are on standby for deployment to other long-haul destinations, including São Paulo, upon completion of all regulatory and commercial processes.

Reacting to speculations on the date it would start operations, the airline said it would go through the procedures to prepare effectively for the flight service to Sao Paulo.

“Until these requirements are fully met, no responsible airline would announce ticket sales or commence operations. Statements of intention or optimism must not be misrepresented as guarantees. Airlines routinely study and prepare international routes for extended periods before launch. By way of example, Air Peace’s London operations took approximately seven years from conception to execution,” the statement from the airline said.

The airline also noted: “For the avoidance of doubt and in the interest of the public, as of today, Air Peace remains the only airline in Nigeria and the West African sub-region with the capacity to undertake transoceanic flight operations using its own wide-body fleet. It is important to state that Air Peace commenced the processes toward the Lagos–São Paulo route as far back as last year (2025).

“The airline has been engaging with relevant Nigerian authorities, cooperating with the Brazilian government, and working with stakeholders in Brazil to bring the operation to fruition. All required processes must be fully concluded before the commencement of flights. Aviation is not a cut-and-paste business, and the safety of passengers, crew, and equipment remains a sine qua non.”

THISDAY learnt that Air Peace had sent its personnel to Brazil and they are working round the clock to ensure that all the documentation and other conditions for flight operations are met and also to secure all the necessary approvals from the Brazilian government.

These efforts are geared towards the plan for the airline to kick of flight service to the South American nation in March.

Re-emphasising the need to have direct connection between Nigeria and Brazil, a Brazilian who regularly visits Nigeria for religious festivals said the trip between Nigeria and Brazil evoked nostalgia because of the long historical and religious ties between the two countries, especially with South West Nigeria.

“It will interest you all to note that Brazil was colonised by Portugal which forced on us its religion which is Catholicism. Apart from this, the other major religion which we practiced in Brazil is African-traditional belief which emanated and was traced to Ile-Ife. Majority of us are Catholics, but all of us still have our traditional identity. For me, I am an Osun worshipper. And I am in Ile – Ife, the source of the world in State of Osun,”  the Brazilian said.

She noted that to have a direct flight between Nigeria and Brazil will further strengthen these ties and Air Peace is poised to make history when it will kick off direct flight to Sao Paulo from Lagos in a schedule commercial service.

THISDAY learnt that the Lagos–São Paulo service would be the first direct air link between Nigeria and South America operated by a Nigerian carrier. In the 1980s and 1990s, Brazilian carrier Varig briefly operated flights to Lagos, while Nigeria Airways—the now-defunct national carrier—maintained limited connections with Latin America. But following the collapse of Nigeria Airways in 2003, such routes disappeared.

In the area of business, direct flight link between Nigeria and Brazil is long overdue because trade between the two countries is a growing, which is a nearly balanced partnership, with volume reaching over $2.1 billion in 2024.

Trade focuses oil, agriculture, and manufacturing. Key sectors include Nigerian crude oil, fertilizer, and agricultural exports (cashew, sesame) to Brazil, while importing Brazilian sugar, poultry, machinery, and vehicles.

Air Peace and Brazil have long relationship since the biggest carrier in West Africa made firm order from Brazilian Embraer. It is the first Nigerian carrier to make order for Embraer’s new entrant, E195-E2, which it ordered 16 and five E175. Five of the E195-E2 has joined the airline’s fleet.

According to sources close to the airline, one more E195-E2 is expected to join Air Peace fleet this year, and two Embraer E175 will also join the airline’s fleet. The long-expected Boeing B737 MAX will begin to arrive to Air Peace operational headquarters in Lagos this year. Three of the aircraft out of 10 ordered will arrive in 2026, while the remaining number is expected to arrive in 2027.

In addition to the aircraft purchases, Embraer is partnering with Air Peace in the establishment of major Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, located in Lagos and may be completed by the end of 2026 or early 2027. It also makes direct flight between the two countries very important.

Air Peace is a growing African carrier that has been validated by the United Kingdom. It has Third Country Approval (TCO), which is a mandatory safety authorisation issued by the European Union Aviation Agency (EASA) for non-EU airlines to conduct air transport flights into, out or within the EU. It ensures that foreign carriers meet the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) safety standard before operating in European airspace.

It is the certification that enabled Air Peace to operate to the UK with its own registered aircraft and with that approval, the airline can operate anywhere in Europe.

This makes Air Peace a strong airline that is ready to operate long-haul flights to any chosen destination.