Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has extended an official invitation to President Bola Tinubu as part of efforts to deepen diplomatic and economic relations between Brazil and Nigeria.

Brazilian Foreign Affairs Minister Mauro Vieira announced the invitation during a high-level meeting with his Nigerian counterpart, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, in Abuja on Wednesday. Vieira, who led a delegation from Brazil, emphasized the importance of enhancing strategic dialogue between the two nations across various sectors, including culture, economics, cooperation, and education.

“It’s a pleasure to visit Nigeria. We are very pleased that President Tinubu attended the G-20 summit in Brazil last November. We value Nigeria’s contributions to the G-20 and hope that President Tinubu will return to Brazil in the near future,” Vieira stated.

He added, “I take this opportunity to express President Lula’s desire to receive President Tinubu in Brazil shortly. This meeting between our two ministries is an important follow-up to previous engagements since President Lula took office in January 2023. We will continue to strengthen our strategic dialogue and explore deeper relations in all areas.”

Nigeria and Brazil are expected to sign agreements aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, further solidifying their long-standing relationship. Ambassador Tuggar highlighted the deep-rooted historical ties between the two nations, recalling that Brazil was the only Latin American country to attend Nigeria’s independence celebration in 1960.

“We share a lot in common, from our size and economies to our population and culture. This visit is a natural progression of our partnership,” Tuggar remarked.

The discussions signal a renewed commitment to enhancing cooperation between Brazil and Nigeria, with both countries looking to expand collaborations in trade, education, and diplomatic affairs.