President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was on Monday, August 25, 2025, accorded a red-carpet welcome and full military honours by his Brazilian counterpart, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, at the Planalto Palace in Brasília, the seat of the Brazilian presidency.
The official arrival ceremony began with the Nigerian leader’s motorcade pulling into the forecourt of the historic palace, where he was received personally by President Lula da Silva. Both leaders stood at attention as the Brazilian military rolled out a guard of honour in Tinubu’s name.
The ceremony featured a 21-gun salute, a display by the Brazilian presidential guard, and the playing of the national anthems of Nigeria and Brazil, symbolising the strong diplomatic ties between the two countries. President Tinubu, dressed in his trademark agbada, inspected the guard of honour before proceeding to exchange pleasantries with top Brazilian government officials present.
Senior Nigerian government officials and diplomats joined President Tinubu at the event, while Brazilian ministers and senior aides accompanied President Lula in receiving the visiting Head of State.
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The official welcome marks the beginning of President Tinubu’s state visit to Brazil, which is expected to focus on strengthening bilateral trade, investment, energy cooperation, and South-South partnerships. Both leaders are also expected to hold closed-door talks at the palace, followed by a joint press conference and the signing of several bilateral agreements.
President Tinubu’s visit comes at a time when Nigeria is seeking to deepen its global economic partnerships, particularly with emerging economies, while Brazil, under Lula’s leadership, has been pushing for stronger ties with African nations.
The elaborate military honours accorded the Nigerian President underscore the importance Brazil attaches to its relationship with Nigeria, widely regarded as Africa’s largest economy and a key partner in the Global South.
