Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has hinted that Nigeria and Brazil are set to sign a Bilateral Air Service Agreement in the coming weeks.
The development was made known on Wednesday on the minister’s official X account, formerly Twitter.
Keyamo said both parties revisited their longstanding ties and acknowledged the urgent need to solidify aviation relations.
Keyamo said, “Along with my team, I met my counterpart in the Federative Republic of Brazil, Mr Silvio Costa Filho, who is the Brazilian Minister of Ports and Airports.
Yesterday, along with my team, I met my counterpart in the Federative Republic of Brazil, Mr. Silvio Costa Filho who is the Brazilian Minister of Ports and Airports. We met at Brasilia, the headquarters of Brazil. We recalled the historical and cultural links between both…
“We met at Brasilia, the headquarters of Brazil. We recalled the historical and cultural links between both countries and discussed the need to remove all the bottlenecks that have since prevented both countries from having a full-blown Bilateral Air Service Agreement and immediately set up a joint team to come up with a draft that we hope to consummate in the next few weeks.
“This is a precursor to opening up the direct air link between both countries.
We also looked at other possible areas of cooperation between both countries in the field of aviation and aerospace development”.
In a separate video shared by the minister, seen by this newspaper, Keyamo told the Brazilian Minister that the relationship will be symbiotic, which will benefit both countries.
“Nigeria is the biggest country in Africa and Brazil is one of the biggest countries in South America. So, it is important that no matter how we want to do it, this airlink has to start almost immediately”, Keyamo told the Brazilian team.
He said Nigeria and Brazil have a common history, adding, “There is a particular tribe we have in Nigeria and you also have in Brazil the Yoruba people. So, we are like twins who were separated at birth, and now we are back together”.
