Tinubu arrives in Brazil for state visit, meets President Lula

By Isaac Joseph Inyang

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu arrived in Brasília, Brazil, on Monday to begin a state visit focused on strengthening bilateral ties between Nigeria and Brazil.

Tinubu, who flew in from Los Angeles, United States, was received at the Brasília Air Base by senior Brazilian officials, including Ambassador Carlos Sérgio Sobral Duarte and Brazil’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos José Areias Moreno Garcete. Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, also joined in welcoming the President.

The visit will feature a formal reception with full military honours at the Planalto Palace, where Tinubu will meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for private talks and expanded bilateral discussions. Both leaders are expected to oversee the signing of several agreements and address a joint press conference.

Tinubu will also hold meetings with leaders of Brazil’s Senate, Chamber of Deputies, and Supreme Federal Court, while attending the Nigeria-Brazil Business Forum to strengthen trade and investment partnerships.

Nigeria and Brazil share over six decades of diplomatic relations, with recent engagements including the BRICS Summit in July and G20 Summit in November 2024 underscoring growing cooperation. Key initiatives, such as the $2.5 billion JBS investment and the $1.1 billion Green Imperative Programme, are part of efforts to boost agriculture, food security, and job creation in Nigeria.