Written by Dickson Omobola
Nigeria’s largest airline, Air Peace, has denied allegations that it collaborated with the Bola Tinubu administration to mislead the public over the proposed Lagos–São Paulo, Brazil, direct flight.
The allegations followed a report claiming that Nigerians living in Brazil accused both the Federal Government and Air Peace of deceiving them with what they described as a false promise to commence direct flights between both cities.
According to the story, the disgruntled Nigerians claimed that the planned service has not yet been implemented in spite of the Memorandum of Understanding, or MoU, that both nations signed in August 2025.
However, Air Peace management, while rejecting the claims, described them as a deliberate attempt to malign the airline and federal government.
Spokesperson for Air Peace, Efe Osifo-Whiskey, in a statement, said the airline was still engaging relevant Nigerian authorities, cooperating with Brazilian government and working with stakeholders in Brazil to bring the operation to fruition.
“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 defraud Nigerians in Brazil or elsewhere regarding the Lagos–São Paulo route.
“A flight launch is not the same as a Memorandum of Understanding, or MoU. An MoU is a statement of intent between governments to deepen bilateral cooperation. It is neither a ticket sale nor a flight schedule, and it does not constitute a guarantee of immediate commencement of operations. In aviation practice, several mandatory processes must be concluded after an MoU before any flight can operate.
“Air Peace did not leave any Nigerians stranded. No tickets were sold, no booking platform was opened, and no flight date was announced. It is therefore illogical to claim that passengers were stranded by a flight that was never placed on sale. Instead of dishonesty, what is present here is self-imposed expectation.
“International long-haul operations require multiple regulatory and operational approvals that cannot be fast-tracked by publicity or political goodwill. These include, but are not limited to Bilateral Air Services Agreement, BASA, implementation frameworks; approval from Brazil’s civil aviation authority, ANAC; slot allocations at São Paulo airports; safety, insurance, and ETOPS certifications; and Aircraft deployment planning and route economics.
“On the issue of capacity, Air Peace has the requisite equipment to operate the route. The airline currently has four Boeing 777-200/300 aircraft in its fleet. 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 are fully met. Air Peace never made a binding commercial commitment to a fixed commencement date. Statements of intention or optimism must not be misrepresented as guarantees. Airlines routinely study and prepare international routes for extended periods before launch. For instance, it took about seven years to plan and carry out Air Peace’s operations in London.
It is unfounded to blame Air Peace for the exorbitant cost of connecting international flights. Global pricing structures and foreign airlines are not under Air Peace’s control. The existence of an MoU does not, and cannot, automatically reduce international airfares.
“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.”
“For the avoidance of doubt and in the interest of the public, as of today, Air Peace remains the only airline in Nigeria and the West African sub-region with the capacity to undertake transoceanic flight operations using its own wide-body fleet. 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. The airline has been engaging relevant Nigerian authorities, cooperating with the Brazilian government, and working with stakeholders in Brazil to bring the operation to fruition.
“All required processes must be fully concluded before the commencement of flights. Aviation is not a cut-and-paste business, and the safety of passengers, crew, and equipment remains a sine qua non.
“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.”
