Brazil Approves Air Peace Operations; Airline Prepares for Toronto, New York, Guangzhou Flights

Chinedu Eze

West Africa’s largest airline, Air Peace, has received approval from Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) to operate scheduled international air services to and from the South American country, marking another milestone in its effort to become a global carrier.

The airline announced the decision in a statement signed by its management, noting that the new flight will cut travel time from West Africa to Brazil to about seven hours.

The Nigerian carrier, which already runs the highest number of domestic, regional, and international routes, said it will also prepare to offer services to Toronto, Canada; New York, United States; and China.

Since last year, Air Peace has applied to Canadian and U.S. authorities for landing permits to begin scheduled operations into Toronto and New York, while finalising plans to resume services to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Guangzhou, China.

The airline has also confirmed plans to launch three weekly flights to Manchester, United Kingdom, as it expands its footprint across Africa, Europe, North America, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and South America.

Air Peace recently announced new services to Libreville, Gabon; Conakry, Guinea; Bamako, Mali; and Douala, Cameroon, with operations scheduled to begin on August 1, further solidifying its position as Nigeria’s leading international carrier.

The Brazilian approval, contained in ANAC Ordinance No. 19.449/2026, authorises Air Peace to operate regular passenger, cargo, and mail services between Brazil and destinations across its network, paving the way for direct air connectivity between Nigeria and Brazil by a Nigerian airline.

Air Peace’s growing international network currently includes London, United Kingdom; Barbados, Caribbean; and major West African destinations such as Accra, Ghana; Freetown, Sierra Leone; Dakar, Senegal; Banjul, The Gambia; Monrovia, Liberia; and Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

A direct Nigeria‑Brazil service is expected to significantly improve travel, trade, and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Similar to the airline’s Barbados route, the Brazil service is projected to reduce travel time from nearly two days—often involving multiple stopovers—to about seven hours on a direct flight.

The route is expected to create new opportunities for tourism, investment, business, and people‑to‑people engagement between Nigeria and Brazil, while also strengthening cargo operations and broader economic cooperation between both countries and the South American region.

Given the longstanding historical, cultural, and commercial ties between Nigeria and Brazil, direct air connectivity has long been viewed as a missing link in bilateral relations.

With Brazil added to its growing portfolio of international destinations and additional strategic routes in the pipeline, Air Peace says it is taking another major step toward its ambition of becoming Africa’s preferred airline and a respected global aviation brand.

“Air Peace has achieved another significant milestone in its transformation into a global carrier, following approval by Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) to operate scheduled international air services to and from the South American nation,” the statement said.

“The Brazilian approval comes as Air Peace accelerates its international expansion drive. The airline has, since last year, applied to the Canadian and United States authorities for landing permits for scheduled operations into Toronto and New York, respectively, while almost concluding plans to resume its operations into Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Guangzhou, in China,” the statement added.

“The airline’s expanding international network already includes London, United Kingdom; Barbados in the Caribbean; and major West African destinations such as Accra, Ghana; Freetown, Sierra Leone; Dakar, Senegal; Banjul, The Gambia; Monrovia, Liberia; and Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire,” the airline also said.

It added that a direct Nigeria‑Brazil service would transform travel, trade, and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

“Like the airline’s Barbados route, the Brazil service is expected to reduce travel time from nearly two days, often involving multiple stopovers, to about seven hours on a direct flight, creating fresh opportunities for tourism, investment, business and people‑to‑people connections,” the airline said.

“Beyond passenger transportation, the authorisation is expected to boost cargo operations and deepen economic cooperation between Nigeria, Brazil, and the wider South American region. Given the longstanding historical, cultural, and commercial ties between the two countries, direct air connectivity has long been regarded as a missing link in bilateral relations,” Air Peace added.