President Bola Tinubu on Thursday charged Carlos Jose Areias, the newly appointed Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, to prioritize the opening of direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil.
Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngerare, said the President gave the order while receiving the Brazilian Ambassador’s Letter of Credentials at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
President Tinubu reiterated his discussions with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the issue on the sidelines of the African Union Heads of State Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in February.
The President reiterated Nigeria’s determination to work closely with Brazil to strengthen bilateral relations and advance shared priorities and welcomed the country’s G20 Presidency 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 energize the economic development of our two countries, and I look forward to continuing that collaboration,” the President said.
In his speech, Areias said President Lula looks forward to hosting President Tinubu at the G20 Summit to be held in Rio de Janeiro on November 18-19, 2024.
He also conveyed President Lula’s invitation to Nigeria to join the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. He explained that this initiative, based on the value of food security, is Brazil’s main proposal for the G20 Presidency to eradicate 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, and I will work hard to improve on the number.
“Africa is top priority for President Lula and Nigeria is the most important country for us,” the Brazilian ambassador said.
President Tinubu also received the Letter of Credentials from Seth Amoama, a former Lt. General and Ghanaian High Commissioner to Nigeria. He commended Ghana for its active participation in ECOWAS and reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening ties with its West African allies.
You must feel at home in Nigeria. Our doors are always open and I wish you a pleasant stay in the country,” the President told the Ghanaian High Commissioner and former Chief of Staff, who is also a University of Ibadan graduate and National Defence College Fellow, in Abuja.
The High Commissioner expressed Ghana’s unwavering support for Nigeria’s leadership of the ECOWAS Heads of State Authority.
“We will continue to support the able leadership of President Tinubu in every way possible,” the Ghanaian High Commissioner said.
