Written by Dickson Omobola
The biggest airline in Nigeria, Air Peace, has refuted claims that it worked with the Bola Tinubu administration to deceive the people about the planned direct route from Lagos to São Paulo, Brazil.
The accusations came after a report claimed that Nigerians residing in Brazil accused Air Peace and the Federal Government of misleading them by making what they called a false promise to start direct flights between the two cities.
The report claimed that although the two nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in August 2025, the anticipated service has not yet been implemented, according to the irate Nigerians.
While denying the allegations, Air Peace management characterized them as an intentional attempt to discredit the airline and the federal government. In a statement, Air Peace spokesperson Efe Osifo-Whiskey said that in order to complete the operation, the airline was still interacting with the Nigerian authorities, collaborating with the Brazilian government, and working with stakeholders in Brazil.
“The accusation of a scam is false, sensational, and dishonest,” the statement says. At no time did Air Peace or the federal government of Nigeria deceive Nigerians in Brazil or elsewhere on the Lagos–São Paulo route.
A flight launch is not the same as a Memorandum of Understanding, or MoU. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is a declaration of purpose between governments to further their bilateral cooperation. It is neither a flight schedule nor a ticket sale, and it does not ensure that operations will start right away. Before any flight can fly in aviation practice, a number of essential procedures must be completed following an MoU.
“Air Peace did not leave any Nigerians stranded. No booking site was launched, no tickets were sold, and no flight date was disclosed. Therefore, it makes no sense to say that a flight that was never offered for sale left passengers stranded. Instead of dishonesty, what is present here is self-imposed expectation.
Publicity or political goodwill cannot expedite the numerous regulatory and operational clearances needed for international long-haul operations. The Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), implementation frameworks, clearance from Brazil’s civil aviation authority (ANAC), slot assignments at São Paulo airports, safety, insurance, and ETOPS certifications, and aircraft deployment planning and route economics are just a few examples.
Regarding capacity, Air Peace possesses the necessary equipment to run the route. At the moment, the airline’s fleet consists of four Boeing 777-200/300 aircraft. Two are on the London Heathrow and London Gatwick routes, while the other two are waiting to be deployed to other long-haul locations, such as São Paulo, once all commercial and regulatory procedures are finished.
No responsible airline would announce ticket sales or start operations until these conditions were fully satisfied. A legally binding commercial promise to a certain start date was never made by Air Peace. It is forbidden to distort statements of intention or optimism as guarantees. Prior to launch, airlines frequently spend a lot of time researching and preparing overseas routes. For instance, it took almost seven years to plan and carry out Air Peace’s activities in London.
It is unfounded to blame Air Peace for the exorbitant expense of connecting overseas flights. Global pricing arrangements and foreign airlines are not under Air Peace’s control. International airfares are not automatically lowered by the presence of a Memorandum of Understanding.
“Air Peace believes that this report, which is supported by Nigerian vested interests, is an intentional act of blackmail against the airline and the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
As of right now, Air Peace is the only airline in Nigeria and the West African subregion capable of conducting transoceanic flight operations utilizing its own wide-body fleet, for the avoidance of doubt and the benefit of the general public. The ongoing smear campaign against the airline and, consequently, the Nigerian government can be explained by this reality.
It’s crucial to note that Air Peace started working on the Lagos–São Paulo route as early as last year. To make the operation a reality, the airline has been interacting with pertinent Nigerian authorities, collaborating with the Brazilian government, and working with partners in Brazil.
Before flights begin, all necessary procedures must be completed. The safety of passengers, crew, and equipment is still a top priority in aviation, which is not a cut-and-paste industry.
“It is unacceptable for people or organizations to try to damage a Nigerian company by spreading lies and manipulating the media in the hopes of obtaining a competitive advantage—one that will never materialize.”
