PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Thursday, August 14, for a two-nation working visit to Japan and Brazil, with stopovers aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s international partnerships, driving investment, and fostering innovation-led growth.
According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Tinubu will first make a brief stop in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, before heading to Yokohama, Japan, where he will participate in the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) from August 20 to 22.
TICAD9, themed “Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa,” will centre on Africa’s economic transformation, improvements in the business climate, and institutional strengthening through private sector investment and innovation.
It will also address human security, peace, stability, and resilience in African societies.
While in Japan, Tinubu will:
Attend plenary sessions on the conference’s thematic areas.
Hold bilateral talks with Japanese leaders.
Engage with chief executives of Japanese companies already investing in Nigeria.
TICAD was initiated in 1993 by the Japanese government and is co-hosted by the United Nations, UNDP, the African Union Commission, and the World Bank.
It serves as a high-level platform for policy dialogue between African leaders and global development partners. The last edition took place in Tunisia in August 2022.
Following the conclusion of TICAD9, President Tinubu will proceed to Brasilia, capital of the Federative Republic of Brazil, for a two-day state visit from August 24 to 25, at the invitation of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
In Brazil, Tinubu will:
Hold a bilateral meeting with President Lula da Silva.
Participate in a Nigeria–Brazil business forum to court new investment.
Oversee the signing of cooperation agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between both governments.
The President’s delegation will include key ministers and senior government officials tasked with deepening bilateral relations and securing strategic economic partnerships.
Shedding more light on the trip, a Villa source, who spoke to News Point Nigeria on condition of anonymity said, the two-nation trip underscores Tinubu’s push to expand Nigeria’s global economic footprint, attract foreign investment, and forge stronger alliances with countries that can contribute to the nation’s long-term development goals.
With Japan’s advanced technology sector and Brazil’s growing economic ties with Africa, the source says the visits are expected to yield significant agreements in trade, industry, and infrastructure development.