Nigeria’s leading airline, Air Peace, has sealed a major partnership with global aircraft manufacturer Embraer to build a world-class Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Lagos.

The announcement was made by Air Peace Chairman and CEO, Dr. Allen Onyema, after returning from Brazil with President Bola Tinubu’s delegation. According to him, the foundation for the facility will be laid on September 17, with completion expected in 12 to 15 months.

When ready, the MRO will eliminate the need for Nigerian airlines to fly their aircraft abroad for costly and time-consuming repairs.

 Instead, maintenance checks will be done locally, saving huge expenses and attracting carriers from across West and Central Africa to Nigeria.

Onyema praised the federal government for removing bottlenecks that often slow down aviation projects, stressing that the new hangar will create jobs and training opportunities for Nigerians, while Embraer provides technical support.

“We will no longer travel abroad for major aircraft maintenance. Other countries will now come to Nigeria,” Onyema said.

The partnership is one of the direct outcomes of Nigeria’s Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with Brazil, which also designated Air Peace to operate direct flights from Lagos to São Paulo. Onyema revealed that the airline plans to start services later this year, interlining with Brazilian carriers to connect passengers across South America.

Highlighting the strong cultural ties between Nigeria and Brazil, he noted that millions of Brazilians have African roots, especially Yoruba heritage, making the route culturally and commercially significant.

Nigeria’s Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, who accompanied the delegation, described the deal as a “real gain” from President Tinubu’s diplomatic efforts, adding that Air Peace’s Boeing 777 successfully operated the inaugural flight to Brazil and back.

“This is not an audio agreement,” Keyamo said. “You are seeing the results live. For the first time, we crossed the Atlantic with our own airline instead of going through Europe or the Middle East.”

With this development, Lagos is set to become a regional hub for aircraft maintenance and a gateway for direct connectivity between Africa and South America.