President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will on Saturday, depart Abuja on a two-nation diplomatic mission to Saint Lucia and Brazil, as part of strategic efforts to bolster Nigeria’s global partnerships and enhance South-South cooperation.
The President’s first stop will be in the Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia, where he will undertake a state visit aimed at deepening Nigeria’s engagement with Caribbean states. While in Saint Lucia, President Tinubu will pay courtesy calls on the Governor-General, His Excellency Cyril Errol Melchiades Charles, and the Prime Minister, Philip Pierre.
A major highlight of the visit will be President Tinubu’s address to a special joint session of the Senate and the House of Assembly of Saint Lucia at the William Jefferson Clinton Ballroom, Sandals Grande, Gros Islet. Attendees at the session will include the Heads of Government of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), members of the diplomatic corps, Nigerian nationals residing in Saint Lucia, and the Director-General of OECS, Dr. Didacus Jules.
Following the joint parliamentary session, President Tinubu will host a high-level working luncheon with OECS Heads of Government to discuss practical ways of deepening cooperation in areas of economic growth, infrastructure development, cultural solidarity, and shared prosperity. He will also visit Sir Arthur Lewis Community College in Castries to strengthen academic exchange and educational partnerships.
This historic visit reaffirms Nigeria’s commitment to fostering closer ties with Caribbean nations within the African Union’s Sixth Region framework, which recognises the African diaspora as a key player in the continent’s development.
President Tinubu will then travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he is expected to participate in the 17th BRICS Summit from July 6 to 7, 2025. The summit, themed “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance”, will focus on forging new pathways for economic, social, and environmental development among BRICS countries and their global partners.
Nigeria will participate in the summit as a “partner country,” a diplomatic status higher than that of a guest, highlighting the country’s growing strategic importance on the global stage. President Tinubu’s attendance is at the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The President is accompanied by a delegation of senior government officials and is expected to use both visits to reinforce Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic agenda across the Caribbean and Latin America.
