Tinubu Departs Brazil for Abuja After Signing Strategic Bilateral Agreements
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has departed Brazil for Abuja after a three-day official visit that saw Nigeria and Brazil deepen diplomatic and economic ties through a series of high-level engagements and bilateral agreements.
The presidential jet left Brasília International Airport Air Force Base at 12:57 a.m. local time on Wednesday, with top Brazilian officials, including Ambassador Carlos Sérgio Sobral Duarte, Secretary for Africa and the Middle East, and Ambassador Carlos José Areias Moreno Garcete, in attendance to bid farewell. Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, also led a delegation to the airport, where a guard of honour was mounted by Colonel Nicolas.
During his visit, Tinubu held private talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, culminating in the signing of five Memoranda of Understanding. The agreements covered aviation, foreign affairs, science and technology, agriculture, and trade cooperation.
A major highlight of the trip was the announcement that Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer will establish a service centre in Nigeria, while Nigeria’s Air Peace is set to commence direct flights between Lagos and São Paulo. Tinubu also secured assurances from President Lula on the return of Brazil’s state-run oil company, Petrobras, to Nigeria, a move expected to boost investment in the country’s oil and gas sector.
In addition, the President met with Brazilian capital market officials and engaged members of the Nigerian diaspora, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to economic reforms and global partnerships.
