President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu have completed their official visit to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, following their participation in the 2024 G-20 Leaders’ Summit, where they were actively engaged in important global discussions and collaborations.
As per reports, President Tinubu, accompanied by his delegation, departed Galeão Air Force Base, Rio, at 10:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, concluding the visit after attending several high-level meetings and discussions at the summit.
Throughout the summit, President Tinubu highlighted Nigeria’s strong commitment to representing Africa in the United Nations Security Council, stressing the need for more inclusivity in the council by calling for two permanent seats for Africa. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s determination to play a key role in ensuring that Africa’s voice is heard on the global stage.
At the summit, President Tinubu also commended the global efforts to address critical issues like hunger and poverty, emphasizing the importance of the Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty as a pivotal initiative in the fight to eliminate these global challenges. He expressed his support for continued international collaboration in combating these issues, ensuring that efforts to eradicate hunger and poverty are scaled up globally.
On the sidelines of the summit, the Nigerian leader had bilateral talks with Kristalina Georgieva, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In their discussion, Georgieva praised the economic reforms introduced by President Tinubu’s administration and recognized their positive impact on Nigeria’s economy, further strengthening the relationship between the two parties and highlighting the success of the Nigerian government's policy initiatives.
In addition to these discussions, President Tinubu oversaw the signing of a major deal between Nigeria and JBS S.A., a prominent Brazilian company that is one of the largest meat processors in the world. The agreement, a $2.5 billion Letter of Intent, underscores Nigeria’s commitment to fostering stronger trade ties and economic cooperation with Brazil, further bolstering Nigeria’s economic interests on the international stage.
The G20 summit, hosted by Brazilian President Lula da Silva, revolved around the theme, “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet,” which set the tone for discussions on a wide range of issues, including sustainable development, global governance reforms, climate change, and the digital economy. Additionally, key geopolitical topics such as the ongoing Israel–Hamas conflict and relations between the United States and China were also discussed at length by world leaders.
The G20 consists of 19 member countries and the European Union, with Nigeria participating as a representative of the African Union’s invitation. This participation aligns with President Da Silva’s agenda to address global issues such as food security and to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030, with Nigeria playing an instrumental role in these efforts.
