…launches direct flight to Brazil
Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest airline, has made a groundbreaking announcement regarding a partnership with Embraer, a renowned aircraft manufacturer, to establish a Maintenance Repair Overhaul (MRO) facility in Nigeria. This development follows the airline’s order for 21 Embraer aircraft, with five already delivered to the country.
According to Allen Onyema, Air Peace Chairman, the airline is taking its partnership with Embraer to the next level by building a maintenance hangar for MRO that is befitting. The facility, expected to be completed within 12-15 months, will enhance the airline’s maintenance capabilities and provide a boost to the Nigerian economy.
“We are increasing our partnership with Embraer and taking it a step further to build a maintenance hangar for MRO that is befitting,” Onyema said during the launch of direct flights from Lagos to São Paulo.
“The facility will not only enhance our maintenance capabilities but also provide a boost to the Nigerian economy.”
The launch of direct flights from Lagos to São Paulo marks a significant milestone in the aviation relationship between Nigeria and Brazil. Onyema expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, highlighting the potential for growth and cooperation between the two countries.
“We are not just going to service Brazil alone. We are going to service the entire South American continent,” he stated. “The direct flight, which carried members of Nigeria’s delegation and private-sector leaders from Brazil, showcased the potential for increased trade and tourism between the two countries.”
Onyema believes that the partnership will open up new opportunities for Nigerian businesses and entrepreneurs, particularly in the aviation sector. “The Brazilians are so eager to work with Nigeria, and they are over and above us in so many things, technology and all, and are ready to lay those things bare for our use,” he said.
Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, emphasized the importance of this development, saying, “This is not only a connection between Nigeria and Brazil but a connection between Nigeria and the entire South America.”
He praised President Bola Tinubu for his role in facilitating this agreement, noting that it demonstrates his commitment to promoting economic growth and development.
“The whole of West Africa and Central Africa is now connected to Nigeria,” Keyamo said. “That is the benefit to our economy. Because they can all come here to connect Air Peace.”
The minister also emphasized that the partnership has potential for interline agreements with other carriers. “From Brazil, you can get interline to any part of South America and the Caribbean too,” he stated.
As Air Peace continues to expand its operations and partnerships, the future of aviation in Nigeria looks bright. With its sights set on becoming a major player in the global aviation industry, the airline is poised to take advantage of new opportunities and challenges.
“The story of Air Peace’s partnership with Embraer and the launch of direct flights to Brazil is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in the aviation industry,” Keyamo said.
The airline’s decision to establish a direct flight to Brazil is expected to have a positive impact on the economy, with Keyamo highlighting the benefits of increased connectivity between the two countries.
“We are bringing back an actual fulfillment, an actual gain of that business, which is the first major flight between Brazil and Nigeria,” Keyamo said. “So it is not an audio agreement. You are seeing it live.”
