During a recent visit to Brazil, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria expressed his gratitude to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for the invitation to a state visit and for the warm reception he received. The visit aimed to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries.
In a joint press conference, President Tinubu thanked President Lula and announced that the two countries had signed several agreements in areas like trade, aviation, energy, and science. The two leaders also discussed the return of Brazil's state-owned oil company, Petrobras, to Nigeria.
President Tinubu also attended the Nigeria-Brazil Business Forum as part of his trip, which he described as a "strategic moment" to renew the historic relationship between the two nations.
My heartfelt thanks to President Lula @LulaOficial for the extraordinary warmth and honour he extended to me and my delegation, crowned by a truly memorable almoço at the Itamaraty Palace.
Our conversations were not mere protocol. They carried purpose and delivered action. Five MoUs in trade, aviation, science, finance, and diplomacy now chart a path from intentions to implementation for our two countries.
I welcome Petrobras's potential return to Nigeria. This move will re-energise our oil and gas sector and unlock wider economic opportunities for our people.
From new direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil, knowledge transfer, to joint work in technology, food security, and clean energy, we are opening fresh horizons together, built on a vision of a stronger global south partnership.
Obrigado, Brasil, for the friendship, the feijoada, and for proving once again that we share one future across the Atlantic.
~ Bola Tinubu