JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
With Air Peace, one of the Nigeria grass grass airlines that now manage flights between Lagos and San Paolo, the airline has chatted a new dawn for the Nigeria aeronautical industry. Suleiman Idris writes
When Air Peace received approval to manage direct flights between Lagos and San Paolo, in Brazil, it was greeted as more than another international expansion for the private property airline.
For the interested parties in the sector, the move represents a turning point for the aeronautical industry of Nigeria, an anchor of economic rescue for traders and exporters and a cultural bridge that reconnects Africa with South America.
The approval for the direct flight agreement is one of the agreements that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reached with Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, during the state visit of the former in the South American country.
President Lula, in a joint conference with Tinubu, said that an agreement was reached.
He said: “Increasing direct connections between Nigeria and Brazil is another essential step to strengthen the links between our companies.
“We approved the launch of a direct flight, to be managed by the largest airline of Nigeria, Air Peace, between Lagos and San Paolo,” he said.
Following a two -hour extended bilateral meeting, the two leaders witnessed the signing of agreements and Mou al Palácio do Planalto in Brasilia.
The Mine of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo and the Minister of Ports and Airports of Brazil, Silvio Costa Filhos, have signed a bilateral agreement of air services (based) to increase trade and popular ties.
Claim lost land
The Lagos -São Paulo service is historical. It will be the first direct air link between Nigeria and South America for decades. In the 80s and 90s, the Brazilian Varig vector briefly managed flights to Lagos, while Nigeria Airways, the now deceased national transporter, maintained limited connections with Latin America. But following the collapse of the airways of Nigeria in 2003, these routes disappeared.
For over two decades, the Nigerians and the Brazilians who made the journey had to endure long deviations through Europe or the Middle East, often spending more time in transit lounges than in the air.
“This is a commercial profitability; it is a matter of restoring lost connectivity,” says the aviation analyst based in Lagos Adeolu Ojo. “For the first time for years, the Nigerians will go aboard a flight from Lagos and go down to San Paolo without changing the airlines. This is significant.”
Global ambition of Air Peace
Founded in 2014, Air Peace grew rapidly in the largest Nigeria carrier, operating over 30 planes through national, regional and international routes. His raid in Brazil comes in the wake of high profile launches such as Lagos-London and Lagos-Jeddah, who positioned the airline as a serious contender on the global phase.
The airline plans to deploy its Boeing 777 fleet on the Brazil route, with an eye that ultimately brought a planes to a large generation of a generation such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. These planes will not only provide comfort, but will also provide the efficiency of the fuel needed to keep long -range operations sustainable.
“Our mission is to connect Nigeria to the world and the world to Nigeria”, often underlines the president of Aerial Peace Allen Onyema. “Each new path we open is a statement that an Nigerian airline can compete with the best globally.”
A bridge through the Atlantic
The cultural meaning of this street cannot be overrated. Brazil hosts the largest African population outside Africa, with millions of roots in West Africa, in particular the ethnic groups of Yoruba and Bini. From language to religion to music, the echoes of the Nigerian heritage remain strong in Brazil.
“These are not just flights: it is a question of reconnecting people throughout the Atlantic,” says Air Peace’s company communications official on Tuesday evening, “we are hitting centuries of history, trade and family ties”.
In addition to culture, tourism and academic exchange will also benefit. Nigerian cultural universities and institutions already collaborate with the counterparties in Brazil and the easiest air connection is expected to deepen those bonds.
Increase trade and trade
Nigeria and Brazil share more than history: they are two of the greatest economies in their respective continents. Both are members of the G20 and maintain significant oil, agriculture and artifacts commercial relations.
A direct air connection should unlock new commercial opportunities. Load operators are particularly optimistic. Fresh agricultural products, fabrics and products manufactured by Nigeria can now reach South America in a rapid and competitive way.
“With the space of the load of the load on these flights, Nigerian exporters will finally circumvent expensive European routes,” says Chika Okeke, shipping shipments. “He will save time, reduce costs and make the Nigerian goods more competitive in Brazil.”
Brazil, for its part, will find a more direct channel for exporting machinery, industrial products and food products to Nigeria.
Diplomatic and geopolitical earnings
Diplomatically, the Via del Brazil aligns with the renewed push of Nigeria for South Cooperation -Sud. The federal government has often highlighted the need to strengthen ties with other developing economies and direct air connectivity is a practical way to do it.
Officials also see it as an opportunity to increase Nigeria’s soft power. For decades, foreign airlines, in particular European and Middle Eastern carriers, have dominated the long -hauling skies of Nigeria. With Air Peace who enters markets like London and San Paolo, Nigeria is finally projecting their flag abroad.
“It’s a question of national pride,” observes the aviation consultant Chris Aligbe. “When an Nigerian airline lands in London or San Paolo, he changes perceptions. He says to the world that Nigeria is not just a consumer of air services, he is a supplier.”
Challenges in advance
The optimism is high, but supporting long -range operations is never easy. The increase in the costs of the fuel per jet, the scarcity of gearbox and the strong competition by the highly subsidized global carriers are constant threats.
Analysts argue that Air Peace will need strong partnerships to make Via del Brazil practicable. Codeshare or interline agreements with Brazilian carriers could help passengers connect beyond San Paolo to other South American destinations such as Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and Buenos Aires.
Aerial peace, however, showed resilience first. His Lagos -London service, launched at the beginning of this year, continued to attract strong passenger numbers despite skepticism at the beginning. The mix of competitive rates of the airline, an aggressive load strategy and the patriotic support from the Nigerians have kept it afloat.
Political support and reciprocity
The designation of aerial peace for the Brazil route also reflects a more favorable political environment. For years, Nigerian airlines have fought to obtain the same access pursuant to bilateral air service agreements while foreign airlines have enjoyed profitable slots in Nigeria.
Pushing aerial peace to Brazil, the authority for the Nigerian civil aviation (NCAA) and the federal government report a more assertive approach to reciprocity.
“Here’s how to balance the equation,” says a high official of the Ministry of Aviation. “If foreign airlines enjoy more frequencies in Nigeria, even our carriers have to enjoy similar rights abroad. Otherwise, it is not a partnership, exploitation.”
A symbol of pride and possibilities
For normal Nigerians, the meaning of the Via del Brazil is more personal. It means shorter trips, competitive rates and the pride of flying a Nigerian flag carrier through the Atlantic. For the diaspora in Brazil, it means more access to home. For the aviation sector, it is proof that local carriers can once again dream.
The leap of Air Peace in San Paolo is therefore not only another path: it is a signal that the aeronautical industry of Nigeria, long dominated by foreign actors, is ready to recover its place on the global scene.
As Onyema himself says: “We are not only managing an airline, we are rewriting the narration of African aviation. Nigeria should no longer be on the edge of global connectivity”.
