Tinubu harps on air service agreement with Brazil

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in Abuja urged Mr. Carlos Areias, the newly appointed Brazilian ambassador to Nigeria, to prioritise the establishment of direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil.

Receiving a Letter of Credence from the Brazilian Ambassador, Tinubu reiterated his discussions with President Luiz da Silva of Brazil on the matter on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in February.

The President said Nigeria was committed to working closely with Brazil to strengthen bilateral relations and advance shared priorities, welcoming the country’s presidency of the G20 in 2024.

“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 energise the economic development of our two countries, and I look forward to continuing that collaboration,” the President said.

In his remarks, Areias said President Lula was looking forward to welcoming President Tinubu to the G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled for Nov. 18 and 19, in Rio de Janeiro.

He also conveyed President Lula’s invitation to Nigeria to join the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty.

He explained that the initiative, based on the value of food security, was the main proposal of the Brazilian presidency at the G20 to eliminate extreme poverty by 2030.

“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 dollars, and I will work hard to improve on the number.

“Africa is a top priority for President Lula, and Nigeria is the most important country for us,” the Brazilian ambassador said.

President Tinubu also received a Letter of Credence from Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Vice-Admiral Seth Amoama (Rtd).

He commended Ghana’s active participation in ECOWAS and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening relations with its West African ally.

“You must feel at home in Nigeria. Our doors are always open, and I wish you a pleasant stay in the country,” said Tinubu.

Amoama, a former Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) of Ghana, is an alumnus of the University of Ibadan and fellow of the National Defence College, Abuja.

Amoama expressed Ghana’s support to Nigeria’s leadership of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

“We will continue to support the able leadership of President Tinubu in every way possible,” he said.