Ben Murray-Bruce urges government to back Air Peace’s Brazil route by buying seats and ensuring patriotic patronage of Nigeria’s largest carrier

Ben Murray-Bruce, Nigerian business leader, politician, and founder of Silverbird Group, has called on the federal government to provide strong backing for Air Peace as it launches scheduled flights between Lagos and São Paulo, Brazil.

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The former senator appealed for the government to commit to purchasing at least half of all outbound seats on every Air Peace flight to Brazil until passenger demand grows organically.

Without such support, he warned, the airline might be forced to withdraw from the route due to profitability concerns.

Reacting to the recently signed Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and Brazil, Murray-Bruce described the development as “a laudable milestone” that could unlock new opportunities for commerce, tourism, and diplomacy.

He stressed that patriotism should guide official choices, urging that all public officials at both federal and state levels be required by law to patronize Nigerian carriers wherever they operate.

“We cannot claim to support local growth while turning to foreign alternatives,” he wrote.

Posting on Facebook and tagging the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, the Bayelsa-born politician said:

“Charity must begin at home. To be Nigerian is not merely a matter of birth but of duty. Patriotism is not negotiable.

If we truly believe in our nation, then our actions, especially in the skies, must reflect that belief.”

Murray-Bruce expressed satisfaction with Air Peace’s designation to pioneer the new Brazil route and emphasized that sustaining the venture requires joint efforts from both government and citizens.

A member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the 69-year-old entrepreneur and senator represented Bayelsa East in the Nigerian Senate between 2015 and 2019.