Tinubu jets back to Abuja after forging stronger Nigeria-Brazil ties

President Bola Tinubu concluded a significant state visit to Brazil, leaving Brasília for Abuja on Wednesday to advance Nigeria-Brazil relations, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The presidential aircraft departed Brasília International Airport Air Force Base at approximately 12:57 p.m. local time.

At the departure, Amb. Carlos Sérgio Sobral Duarte, Brazil’s Secretary for Africa and the Middle East, and Amb. Carlos José Areias Moreno Garcete, Brazil’s Ambassador to Nigeria, joined Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and other officials to bid farewell.

A guard of honor, led by Col. Cel Nicolas, marked the brief ceremony.

Tinubu arrived in Brasília on Monday, August 25, welcomed with full military honors.

He held private talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and senior officials, culminating in the signing of five Memoranda of Understanding in aviation, foreign affairs, science and technology, and agriculture—sectors critical to Nigeria’s growth, as noted by NAN.

The president also engaged with Brazil’s Securities and Exchange Commission Director-General and the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc Board, commending the Nigerian market’s performance as “a testament to investor trust in our reforms.” Additional discussions on trade, education, and innovation further strengthened bilateral ties.

Addressing the Nigerian diaspora in Brazil, Tinubu encouraged their active role in nation-building.