On Thursday in Abuja, President Bola Tinubu urged the newly appointed Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos Jose Areias, to prioritize the establishment of direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil.
Receiving the Ambassador’s Letter of Credence, President Tinubu recalled his discussions with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in February at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa.
”We have a long history of bilateral and cultural relations with Brazil. You must see Nigeria as your second home and explore the abundant economic opportunities in the country.
I have been talking to some of my Brazilian friends concerning the prospects of investing in dairy farming in Nigeria. We are eager to push these investments forward.“
In my recent discussions with President Lula, we agreed to energize the economic development of our two countries, and I look forward to continuing that collaboration,” the President said.
The President affirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening bilateral relations with Brazil and welcomed Brazil’s upcoming presidency of the G20 in 2024.
In his remarks, Ambassador Areias conveyed that President Lula is eager to welcome President Tinubu to the G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled for November 18 and 19, 2024, in Rio de Janeiro.
He also extended an invitation from President Lula for Nigeria to join the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty. This initiative, focusing on food security, is a key proposal of Brazil’s G20 presidency aimed at eradicating extreme poverty by 2030.
Ambassador Areias expressed his appreciation for Nigeria, noting the similarities between the two countries and his sense of belonging due to the shared culture, music, and people.
He said ”I am in a country similar to Brazil, and I feel very much at home here with the culture, music, and people of Nigeria.
I will do whatever I can to improve Brazil-Nigeria relations. Ten years ago, the volume of trade between our two countries was in the region of $10 billion, and I will work hard to improve on the number.
”Africa is top priority for President Lula and Nigeria is the most important country for us,” the Brazilian Ambassador said.
President Tinubu also received the Letter of Credence from Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Vice-Admiral Seth Amoama (Rtd).
President Tinubu praised Ghana’s active role in ECOWAS and reiterated Nigeria’s dedication to enhancing relations with its West African neighbor.
”You should feel at home in Nigeria. Our doors are always open and I wish you a pleasant stay in the country,” the President told the High Commissioner and former Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) of Ghana, who is an alumnus of the University of Ibadan and fellow of the National Defence College, Abuja.
High Commissioner Amoama expressed Ghana’s steadfast support to Nigeria’s leadership of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
