Nigeria, Brazil Deepen Strategic Cooperation as Tinubu Begins State Visit

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu arrived in Brasília, the capital of Brazil, on Monday to begin a state visit aimed at deepening bilateral relations between Nigeria and the South American nation.

The Nigerian leader, who flew in from Los Angeles, United States, was received at the Brasília Air Base by senior Brazilian government officials, including Ambassador Carlos Sérgio Sobral Duarte, Secretary for Africa and the Middle East, and Ambassador Carlos José Areias Moreno Garcete, Brazil’s envoy to Nigeria. Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, was also at the Air Base to welcome him.

Upon his arrival at his hotel, the President was received by members of his cabinet, heads of government agencies, and private sector leaders who will participate in high-level talks and agreements during the visit.

An official welcoming ceremony with full military honours will take place at the Planalto Palace, where President Tinubu will hold talks with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Both leaders are expected to witness the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) before addressing a joint press conference.

The Nigerian President will also meet with leaders of Brazil’s National Congress, the Chamber of Deputies, and the Supreme Federal Court. In addition, he will headline the Nigeria-Brazil Business Forum, which is expected to strengthen economic ties and promote trade and investment opportunities between both countries.

Nigeria and Brazil enjoy decades-long diplomatic relations dating back to the 1960s. In recent years, both nations have expanded cooperation in agriculture, energy, defence, and trade through the Mechanism for Strategic Dialogue, which has produced multiple agreements, including those on defence, energy, livestock development, and counternarcotics.

Brazil remains a key partner in Nigeria’s food security programme. Notably, a $2.5 billion JBS investment deal and the $1.1 billion Green Imperative Programme—designed to boost agricultural mechanisation—are central to ongoing bilateral cooperation.

President Tinubu’s visit is expected to consolidate these gains, while opening new chapters in Nigeria-Brazil relations.