Tinubu Returns from Japan and Brazil with Pledges of Technology, Food Security, and Global Partnerships
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu returned to Abuja on Thursday after high-level visits to Japan and Brazil, during which he secured new partnerships, economic commitments, and pledges of cooperation in technology, food security, and investment.
Tinubu’s Breakthroughs in Japan
TIMES OF NIGERIA gathered from the Presidency that during the Ninth Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan pledged a $5.5 billion economic support fund for Africa, from which Nigeria is expected to benefit significantly.
Nigeria also secured a $238 million loan facility from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to strengthen the national power grid, alongside a ¥1.75 billion grant to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to expand its diagnostic capacity.
In addition, Nigeria advanced in negotiations for a $190 million renewable energy loan, supported by JICA, to fund distributed energy solutions in underserved communities.
At TICAD9, President Tinubu lobbied for Nigeria’s permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council, while also seeking stronger roles in the International Court of Justice and the International Maritime Organization.
As part of cultural diplomacy, the Japanese government designated Kisarazu City as a hometown for Nigerians in Japan.
Under this scheme, Japan will introduce a special visa category for highly skilled Nigerian professionals, while artisans and other workers will also benefit from upgraded visa opportunities to live and work in the country.
Renewed Partnership with Brazil
In Brazil, President Tinubu emphasised that Nigeria must draw inspiration from Brazil’s trajectory in food security and technology.
Meeting Nigerians in São Paulo, he declared: “We must bring Nigeria to the forefront of Africa’s progress, driven by technology, food sovereignty, and the courage to change our destiny.”
The President reassured Nigerians that ongoing reforms, though painful, are “like bitter medicine” necessary for economic stability and prosperity.
He urged the diaspora to become active partners in rebuilding Nigeria, praising them as “the pride of our nation.”
At the Brazil–Nigeria Business Roundtable, Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, described the visit as a “historic reset” of economic and trade relations, noting that bilateral trade had fallen from $10 billion a decade ago to $2 billion today.
Key agreements signed in Brasília include:
- A Bilateral Air Services Agreement, paving the way for Air Peace to launch direct flights between Lagos and São Paulo.
- An MoU on biotechnology, energy, and digital innovation between Nigeria’s Ministry of Science and Brazil’s Ministry of Technology.
- An agreement between the Bank of Agriculture and Brazil’s BNDES to expand agricultural financing and investment.
- A cooperation pact on diplomatic training and political consultations.
In a major announcement, Brazil’s state-owned oil company Petrobras confirmed plans to return to Nigeria after a five-year absence.
Tinubu welcomed the move, stressing, “We have the largest gas repository. So I don’t see why Petrobras doesn’t join as a partner in Nigeria as soon as possible.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva hailed the renewed partnership, saying both nations – the world’s two largest Black populations – shared vast opportunities in agriculture, oil and gas, and aviation.
A New Chapter in Global Engagement
The visits were attended by senior Nigerian officials including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, Minister of Information Mohammed Idris, and Diaspora Commission Chairman Abike Dabiri.
Governor Sani praised Tinubu’s reforms as “transformational,” citing the clearance of a $7 billion forex backlog that has boosted investor confidence.
President Tinubu concluded his tour by calling for unity at home and abroad, “If Wole Soyinka, at over 90, can still dream and act, then we have no excuse. The dream must be realised. The time is now.”
The dual visits mark a significant expansion of Nigeria’s South-South cooperation, strengthening economic, cultural, and diplomatic ties with two of the world’s largest economies outside the Western bloc.
