BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
Air Peace has received approval from Brazil’s civil aviation authorities to operate scheduled passenger and cargo services to the South American country, marking a major milestone in its push to become a global carrier.
The approval, granted by Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), authorizes the airline to operate regular passenger, cargo and mail services between Brazil and destinations across its network, opening the door for direct air connectivity between Nigeria and Brazil by a Nigerian airline for the first time.
The development comes as Air Peace intensifies efforts to expand its international footprint, with plans underway to launch new routes across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
According to the airline, applications for scheduled operations into Toronto, Canada, and New York in the United States have been submitted to the relevant authorities and are currently being processed.
The carrier is also nearing the completion of arrangements to resume services to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Guangzhou, China.
In addition, Air Peace said it has concluded plans to commence three weekly flights to Manchester in the United Kingdom, further strengthening its long-haul international network.
The Brazilian approval, contained in ANAC Ordinance No. 19.449/2026, is expected to significantly enhance trade, tourism and business relations between Nigeria and Brazil, while creating new opportunities for cargo movement between both countries.
Industry stakeholders have long advocated direct air links between Nigeria and Brazil, citing the strong historical, cultural and economic ties shared by both nations.
Despite these connections, travellers have traditionally relied on multiple stopovers through Europe, the Middle East or other hubs to reach Brazil.
Air Peace said the planned direct service would dramatically cut travel time between the two countries from nearly two days on some connecting routes to approximately seven hours.
The airline noted that the route is expected to mirror the success of its Caribbean operations, particularly the Barbados service, by providing faster and more convenient access for tourists, investors, business travellers and members of the African diaspora.
Beyond passenger travel, the airline believes the route will strengthen cargo operations by creating a more efficient channel for the movement of goods between West Africa and South America.
Analysts say the development could boost bilateral trade volumes, facilitate agricultural exports and imports, and deepen commercial cooperation between Nigeria and Brazil, which remains Latin America’s largest economy.
The approval also comes amid an aggressive expansion programme by the airline across Africa.
Earlier this month, Air Peace announced plans to launch services to Libreville, Gabon; Conakry, Guinea; Bamako, Mali; and Douala, Cameroon, with operations scheduled to begin on August 1.
The new African routes are expected to reinforce the airline’s position as one of the continent’s fastest-growing carriers while supporting regional integration and trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Air Peace’s current international network already covers major destinations across Africa, Europe and the Caribbean, including London in the United Kingdom, Barbados, Accra in Ghana, Freetown in Sierra Leone, Dakar in Senegal, Banjul in The Gambia, Monrovia in Liberia and Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire.
The airline’s expansion strategy is focused on transforming Lagos into a major aviation hub connecting Africa with Europe, North America, the Middle East, Asia, the Caribbean and South America.
Aviation experts say the Brazil authorization represents one of the most significant international route approvals secured by a Nigerian airline in recent years, given the strategic importance of the South American market and the absence of direct links between the two countries.
With Brazil now added to its growing list of international destinations and plans advancing for Toronto, New York, Manchester, Guangzhou and Jeddah, Air Peace appears set to deepen its presence on the global stage.
The latest approval accentuates the carrier’s ambition to evolve from a regional operator into a truly intercontinental airline, while strengthening Nigeria’s position as a key aviation gateway connecting Africa with the rest of the world.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
