January 28, 2026 — Dalena Reporters
Scores of Nigerians living in Brazil have accused the Federal Government of Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and domestic carrier Air Peace of misleading them with what they describe as a fraudulent promise of direct flights between Lagos and São Paulo, leaving many stranded, financially strained and without clear answers, Dalena Reporters has learned.
The group told Dalena Reporters that their hopes were raised after a widely publicised Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reportedly signed between the Nigerian government and Brazil in August 2025 — suggested a new Lagos–São Paulo direct air route would be operated by Air Peace.
According to the Nigerians in Brazil, the MoU was touted by officials as a breakthrough for travel between the two countries and generated widespread anticipation of a cheaper, faster direct flight a route that would normally cost travellers up to US $1,500 through multiple stopovers in places like Addis Ababa, South Africa or Europe.
One Nigerian resident in Brazil told Dalena Reporters that the arrangement was “deceptive from the outset” and described the promise of direct flights as a “big scam” that gave false hope to those who were making travel plans, preparing business trips or visiting family.
“The Memorandum of Understanding … was all a lie,” said the source, adding that the Air Peace chairman had assured them the service would start in November 2025 with significantly reduced fares because it would cut travel time to about six to seven hours.
According to the resident, many Nigerians postponed travel plans and turned down other ticket options in expectation of the cheaper direct route, only to find that months later — with no flight schedules, ticket sales or regulatory approvals — nothing had materialised.
Students, business owners and families in Brazil said they have been left in financial and emotional distress, with many unable to return home or unable to afford existing multi-stop flights that remain costly.
Another source, who has lived in Brazil for decades, said similar promises of direct flights have been made by successive Nigerian administrations without actual follow-through, but this one stood out because the Tinubu government and media celebrated it publicly.
As of publication, there has been no public update, ticket release, or flight schedule for a Lagos–São Paulo direct service, and efforts by Dalena Reporters to obtain comments from Air Peace and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, about the status of the route were unsuccessful.