President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday arrived in Brasília, the capital of Brazil, to begin a state visit focused on strengthening bilateral relations and expanding economic cooperation between the two countries.
According to presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, the President flew in from Los Angeles and was received at the Brasília Air Base by senior Brazilian officials, including Ambassador Carlos Sérgio Sobral Duarte, Secretary for Africa and the Middle East, and Brazil’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos José Areias Moreno Garcete. Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, was also on hand to welcome him.
After his arrival, President Tinubu was greeted at his hotel by Nigerian ministers, heads of government agencies, and private sector leaders who will participate in a series of bilateral meetings and the signing of key Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
Later today, the official welcoming ceremony with full military honours will be held at the Planalto Palace. There, President Tinubu will hold a private meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, followed by expanded bilateral talks.
Both leaders are expected to witness the signing of new MoUs and address a joint press conference.
The President’s itinerary also includes meetings with the leadership of Brazil’s National Congress, the Chamber of Deputies, and the Supreme Federal Court.
He will further participate in the Nigeria-Brazil Business Forum, a platform to promote trade and investment partnerships between both nations.
Nigeria and Brazil share diplomatic relations dating back to the early 1960s. Brazil was the only Latin American country to attend Nigeria’s independence celebrations in 1960, while Nigeria opened its embassy in Brasília in 1966. Over the years, cooperation has expanded across trade, agriculture, defence, and energy.
In June 2025, Abuja hosted the Second Session of the Nigeria-Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism, which produced seven MoUs covering defence, energy, tourism, livestock development, audio-visual co-production, and counternarcotics cooperation.
Brazil is also a key partner in Nigeria’s food security drive. A landmark $2.5 billion JBS investment signed during the 2024 G20 Summit in Brazil aims to strengthen sustainable food supply chains, boost domestic production, and create jobs for young Nigerians.
Additionally, the $1.1 billion Green Imperative Programme (GIP), launched in 2019, continues to progress, targeting the delivery of 10,000 tractors and 50,000 farm equipment units for local assembly.
President Tinubu’s visit is expected to consolidate Nigeria’s strategic partnership with Brazil, paving the way for deeper collaboration in economic growth, industrialisation, and global diplomacy.
