Garba Mohammed
President Bola Tinubu has returned to Abuja after a whirlwind of high-level diplomatic engagements in Japan and Brazil, during which he struck five key agreements aimed at bolstering Nigeria’s economic and strategic interests.
The presidential jet touched down in the early hours of Thursday, after departing Brasília International Airport Air Force Base on Wednesday afternoon.
Tinubu’s first stop was Japan, where he attended the opening ceremony and plenary of the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) on August 20. He used the forum to woo investors, push for stronger partnerships, and engage African and Japanese leaders on sustainable development.
In Yokohama, the President also held bilateral talks with world leaders before meeting Nigerians in the diaspora in a rare interactive session, where he outlined his administration’s reform agenda and reassured them of Nigeria’s resilience.
From Japan, Tinubu made a brief stopover in Los Angeles before jetting into Brasília, where he was received by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The two leaders held private discussions before witnessing the signing of five Memoranda of Understanding covering aviation, agriculture, foreign affairs, and science and technology.
The agreements, according to the Presidency, represent a fresh chapter in Nigeria’s efforts to diversify its economy, expand agricultural output, and embrace innovation-driven development.
By the time he landed back in Abuja, Tinubu had wrapped up what aides described as a “diplomatic marathon”—a shuttle that reaffirmed Nigeria’s presence on the global stage and opened new windows of cooperation with two of the world’s leading economies.