President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has arrived in Brasília, the capital of Brazil, to begin a two-day state visit at the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

According to a statement issued on Monday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Tinubu flew in from Los Angeles, United States, and was received at the Brasília Air Base by senior Brazilian government officials.

Those present at the reception included Ambassador Carlos Sérgio Sobral Duarte, Secretary for Africa and the Middle East; Ambassador Carlos José Areias Moreno Garcete, Brazil’s Ambassador to Nigeria; and Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu.

Other Nigerian ministers, heads of government agencies, and members of the private sector who will participate in bilateral talks and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signings later joined the President at his hotel in Brasília.

President Tinubu is expected to receive a formal welcome at the Planalto Palace, where he will hold a private meeting with President Lula da Silva, followed by expanded bilateral talks between senior officials of both countries. The two leaders will also oversee the signing of MoUs and address a joint press conference.

During the visit, Tinubu will meet with the President of the Brazilian Senate at the National Congress, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, and the President of the Supreme Federal Court. He will also participate in the Nigeria–Brazil Business Forum.

The presidency described Brazil as a key partner in Nigeria’s food security programme, citing a $2.5 billion JBS investment deal signed during the 2024 G20 Leaders’ Summit in Brazil to strengthen sustainable food supply chains and create jobs for Nigerian youth.

Nigeria and Brazil share a long history of diplomatic ties dating back to the 1960s. Brazil was the only Latin American nation to attend Nigeria’s independence celebrations in 1960, while Nigeria opened its embassy in Brazil in 1966. Over the years, both countries have deepened relations through high-level visits, joint forums, and cooperation in sectors such as agriculture, defence, education, energy, and mining.

Tinubu’s state visit follows his participation in the BRICS Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro in July 2025 and builds on ongoing strategic dialogue between the two countries.