President Bola Tinubu is on his way home after concluding a week-long diplomatic tour that took him to Saint Lucia and Brazil with the aim of strengthening Nigeria’s strategic alliances across the Caribbean and South America.
The Nigerian leader departed the Brazilian capital Rio de Janeiro at about 12:50 p.m. local time.
The President left Abuja on Saturday, June 28, 2025, for a two-nation visit that began with a state visit to Saint Lucia, where he engaged top leadership and key institutions in efforts to deepen South-South cooperation and expand Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic footprint in the Caribbean.
During the visit, President Tinubu met with the Governor-General, His Excellency Cyril Errol Melchiades Charles, and Prime Minister Philip Pierre.
A major highlight of the Saint Lucia trip was his historic address to a special joint session of the country’s Senate and House of Assembly at the William Jefferson Clinton Ballroom, Sandals Grande, Gros Islet.
He also held a high-level working luncheon with Heads of Government of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to discuss actionable areas of cooperation in infrastructure, education, and cultural exchange.
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President Tinubu later visited the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College in Castries, where he emphasized the importance of academic partnerships and youth empowerment in advancing the vision of the African Union’s Sixth Region which acknowledges the African diaspora as integral to the continent’s development.
Following his engagements in Saint Lucia, the Nigerian leader proceeded to Brazil to participate in the 17th BRICS Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro from July 6 to 7, at the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Nigeria attended the summit as a “Partner Country”, a status higher than that of a guest nation.
The 2025 BRICS Summit, themed “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance,” focused on fostering collaboration in social, economic, and environmental development.
President Tinubu was accompanied on the two-nation trip by senior government officials and top diplomats.
(Editor: Okechukwu Eze)
