August 23, 2025 – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will embark on his third official visit to Brazil from August 24 to 25, 2025, at the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The visit, according to Sunday Dare, Special Adviser, Media and Public Communication/Spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu, marks a significant step in Nigeria’s foreign relations.
He explained in his release titled “Nigeria: Why Brazil. Yes, Brazil” that the trip will not only strengthen bilateral ties but also unlock key investments across agriculture, energy, technology, aviation, renewable energy, and cultural exchange.
The two-day State Visit will feature bilateral meetings, a Nigeria-Brazil Business Forum with top investors, and the signing of critical agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
Sunday Dare emphasised that the trip “marks the transition from diplomacy to deals. Beyond dialogue, the focus will be activating multi-billion-dollar agricultural investments, advancing joint initiatives like the $1.1 billion Green Imperative mechanization project and securing new flows of FDI into Nigeria’s agriculture and energy sectors.”
Brazil, Latin America’s largest economy and a global agricultural powerhouse, shares several similarities with Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest economies with vast arable land and a young population. Both countries are recognised leaders of the Global South with converging aspirations in South-South cooperation. According to Dare, the visit is about “deepening political trust, expanding cultural exchange, and harnessing shared opportunities in renewable energy, climate resilience, and digital transformation.”
Looking ahead, both nations are setting ambitious goals for trade expansion. Leaders have pledged to push trade volumes back above US $2 billion, with projections of hitting US $3.5 billion by 2030. Already, the Green Imperative Partnership (GIP), a USD $1.1 billion programme, has been launched to supply 10,000 tractors and 50,000 pieces of equipment for assembly in Nigeria.
This initiative is expected to create about 100,000 direct jobs and more than 5 million indirect jobs, advancing agricultural mechanisation and boosting food security. The Green Imperative Agreement was previously signed during the visit of Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Viera in Abuja.
In the oil and gas sector, Brazilian companies such as Petrobras and Embraer are exploring investments, particularly in energy and aviation. Discussions are also underway to finalise a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) that would establish a direct flight route between Nigeria and Brazil.
This move is expected to reduce travel costs, enhance connectivity, and open up new opportunities for trade, tourism, and investment between both countries.
Sunday Dare pointed out that Nigeria and Brazil share important commonalities such as vast territories, large populations, tropical climates, and similar colonial histories.
Both hold strong influence in their regions and remain active members of key international organisations. Brazil also considers Nigeria as a strategic gateway to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) market, further cementing its position as a partner in South-South Cooperation.
Highlighting the broader significance, Dare described the trip as “the next leap forward in a carefully crafted strategy – one that transforms shared history and mutual challenges into shared prosperity.”
He noted that this State Visit forms part of President Tinubu’s Power Forward Diplomacy, an approach designed to propel Nigeria into a new era of bold economic and political engagement.
“This State Visit is yet one of President Tinubu’s Power Forward Diplomacy (PFD), one that obliterates obstacles but propels Nigeria into a new era of bold economic and political diplomacy,” Dare wrote. “A handshake across the Atlantic between two Global players in their own rights. Let the world take note: Brazil is therefore not a detour but a destination.”