President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday departed Brasília, Brazil, for Abuja, after a three-day state visit aimed at strengthening Nigeria-Brazil bilateral relations.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the presidential jet took off from the Brasília International Airport Air Force Base at about 12:57 a.m. local time.
Present at the airport to bid him farewell were Brazil’s Secretary for Africa and the Middle East, Amb. Carlos Sérgio Sobral Duarte, and the Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Carlos José Areias Moreno Garcete. Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and other senior government officials also accompanied the president, while a guard of honour led by Col. Cel Nicolas added colour to the brief departure ceremony.
President Tinubu had arrived in Brasília in the early hours of Monday, August 25, where he was accorded full military honours before proceeding to bilateral meetings with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and senior Brazilian officials.
During the visit, both leaders held private talks and witnessed the signing of five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering aviation, foreign affairs, science and technology, and agriculture—sectors considered central to Nigeria’s economic and social development.
The Nigerian leader also met with the Director-General of Brazil’s Securities and Exchange Commission and the Board of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, where he lauded the resilience of the Nigerian market, describing it as a reflection of growing investor confidence in his administration’s reforms.
Beyond government engagements, President Tinubu used the opportunity to strengthen ties in trade, education, and innovation through additional sideline meetings.
He also interacted with members of the Nigerian diaspora in Brazil, encouraging them to contribute more actively to nation-building.
The state visit is expected to open fresh opportunities for collaboration between Nigeria and Brazil, particularly in key economic sectors, as both nations seek to expand South-South cooperation.
