Tinubu’s Brazil pact, new flight path, and what lies ahead
By Muhyideen Jimoh, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
With aching legs and weary eyes, Ibrahim Abdulwahab stepped off an Ethiopian Airlines flight in São Paulo, Brazil, nearly 48 hours after leaving Abuja.
Moreover, long layovers had stretched his journey into an exhausting ordeal.
The University of Brasília graduate, now a Portuguese teacher, endures this gruelling routine regularly to visit family and continue his work, an experience familiar to many Nigerians in Brazil.
However, this arduous travel may soon be a thing of the past, not only for Abdulwahab but also for the growing number of Nigerians seeking opportunities in Brazil for study, business, tourism, or cultural reconnection.
A journey that takes over 48 hours will now be slashed to just seven, thanks to direct flights between the two countries.”
Indeed, this prospect became clearer in the early hours of Aug. 25, when Nigeria’s presidential jet, NAF-001, nicknamed ‘Eagle One’, touched down at Brasília International Airport.
President Bola Tinubu had arrived for a two-day state visit, his third trip to Brazil this year, underscoring Nigeria’s renewed commitment to strengthening ties with South America’s largest economy.
Coming directly from engagements in Japan at TICAD9 and a stopover in Los Angeles, Tinubu wasted no time resuming a hectic diplomatic pace.
By morning, the streets of Brasília were alive with colour as he was received with full military honours by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the Planalto Palace.
Importantly, the meeting was not merely ceremonial.
Both leaders presided over the signing of five critical Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) in aviation, trade, energy, agriculture, and science and technology.
“Today’s engagement marks the renewal of the historic relationship between Nigeria and Brazil.
“I look forward to working with President Lula to deepen cooperation in agriculture, energy, trade, and culture, towards building a future of shared prosperity,” Tinubu declared.
Notably, the visit saw the signing of a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), paving the way for direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil for the first time in decades.
According to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, “This agreement is a game-changer for Nigeria’s aviation industry.
“It will open up new opportunities for Nigerian businesses, tourism, and enhance diplomatic ties.
“For businesses, the agreement will simplify cargo movement, reduce shipping costs, and bolster trade.
“For ordinary Nigerians, particularly the diaspora, it signals easier travel and stronger cultural reconnection,” Keyamo said.
Similarly, Allen Onyema, CEO of Air Peace and Nigeria’s designated air carrier for the Lagos-Sao-Paulo route commended the development.
“Well, it is a milestone. President Bola Tinubu’s shuttles abroad have started paying dividends for the good of our nation.
“Today, the Bilateral Air Services Agreement has been signed between both countries, Brazil and Nigeria.
“And I’m sure you heard when President Lula of Brazil said that Nigeria’s largest carrier, Airbus, has been designated to implement this BASA by running flight operations into and out of Brazil to Nigeria,” he added.
Onyema confirmed that Air Peace will begin direct flights by Nov. 2025, thus unlocking an economic boom.
Beyond aviation, the agreements extended into trade and agriculture, with a new memorandum expanding bilateral commerce in agriculture, energy, and digital technology.
Tinubu emphasised, “Brazil is a natural partner for Nigeria in agriculture, given our complementary resources and expertise.
“We are ready to collaborate more closely to enhance food security in both nations”.
This reflects Nigeria’s earlier agricultural cooperation with Brazil in the 1970s, when both countries sought to mechanise farming and address food shortages.
Today, with over 60 per cent of Nigeria’s workforce in agriculture, such collaboration could modernise farming and boost productivity.
Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Fávaro, added, “We are keen to share our technological advancements in agriculture with Nigeria.
“This collaboration will lead to a food revolution in both countries”.
In addition, energy featured prominently. Brazil pledged to support Nigeria in scaling up solar, wind, and clean energy projects.
Tinubu said, “Energy is a key pillar of our vision for Nigeria’s future.
“Brazil’s expertise will help us leapfrog into cleaner, more efficient energy systems”.
Furthermore, he invited Petrobras, Brazil’s oil giant, to return to Nigeria after suspending operations in Nigeria, stressing: “We have the largest gas repository.
“So, I don’t see why Petrobras doesn’t join as a partner in Nigeria as soon as possible. I appreciate President Lula’s promise that this will be done”.
Meanwhile, science and technology cooperation also gained focus.
Paulo Alvim, Brazil’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, noted, “We have seen the rise of Nigeria’s tech sector, and we are eager to support it with our knowledge and resources.
“Such cooperation is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s startup ecosystem, fostering innovation and skills transfer in a sector already attracting global attention”.
Moreover, Tinubu’s delegation secured investment pledges in agriculture, energy, and infrastructure, with potential inflows estimated at over 30 billion dollars.
Brazil committed to supporting Nigeria in roads, ports, and bridges, leveraging its engineering expertise.
Alongside this, cultural and educational ties were renewed.
Both governments agreed on student exchanges, research partnerships, and arts collaborations, reviving Afro-Brazilian links dating back to the 19th century.
As Camilo Santana, Brazil’s Minister of Education, put it: “We are looking forward to facilitating exchange programmes between Brazilian and Nigerian universities”.
Historically, the ties between Nigeria and Brazil run centuries deep.
Freed Afro-Brazilian slaves returned to Lagos, bringing architecture, cuisine, and religious practices that enriched Nigeria’s cultural fabric.
Known as the “Aguda” community, their influence remains visible today.
Diplomatic relations were formally established in 1961.
By the 1970s, both nations pursued stronger South–South cooperation, particularly in agriculture and energy.
Although relations slowed in the early 2000s, the return of Petrobras to Nigeria in 1998 and cultural exchange programmes helped maintain the partnership.
Today, Tinubu’s agreements mark a revival of historic bonds, blending cultural reconnection with modern trade, technology, and strategic cooperation.
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the visit as “more than a state visit.
“It’s a symbolic healing of historical wounds. It’s about cultural reconnection, economic collaboration, and redefining our shared future.
“And you know when President Tinubu speaks, he speaks for the continent. Nigeria is a continental and global leader”.
Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, offered a similar perspective, arguing that the visit reflects Tinubu’s broader effort to diversify Nigeria’s global partnerships.
He explained that “Brazil has a cattle herd of 238 million; more than its human population.
“This success in agribusiness offers valuable lessons for us as we expand our livestock industry”.
Taken together, these engagements mirror Nigeria’s longstanding tradition of South–South cooperation, from its leadership role in the Non-Aligned Movement to active participation in the G77.
Historically, Nigeria has used such partnerships to balance relations with Western powers while strengthening alliances in the Global South.
Analysts, however, warn that the success of these agreements will depend on how swiftly Nigeria’s ministries and agencies act to implement them.
Yet, if fully implemented, the Brazil engagement could become the launchpad for Nigeria’s long-sought economic transformation.
It holds the potential to unlock jobs, technology, and investment while advancing the country’s aspiration of becoming a trillion-dollar economy by 2030.(NANFeatures)
***If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria.
