President Bola Tinubu and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva discussed the potential of having direct flights between Lagos, Nigeria, and Sao Paulo, Brazil, during a meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
President Lula da Silva stressed the need for formal discussions between both governments to address the lack of direct flights between the two cities, as stated by Fredrick Nwabufo, Senior Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Public Engagement.
President Lula da Silva also highlighted the various opportunities for collaboration in the aviation sector between Nigeria and Brazil.
“It is meaningless that there are no direct flights from Lagos to Sao Paulo and vice versa. I can not understand that. We have to sit at a table and find a solution for that. In aviation, there are many areas of potential collaboration with our manufacturers who seek to have a greater presence in Africa,” President Lula da Silva said.
The President of Brazil stressed the importance of strengthening relations between Nigeria and Brazil in various areas such as academia, culture, commerce, agriculture, industry, and trade.
President Lula da Silva pointed out that Nigeria and Brazil used to have a trade volume of over $10 billion, but it has now decreased to $1.6 billion. He promised to improve bilateral relations during the remaining three years of his term in office.
President Tinubu emphasized Nigeria’s strong economic potential and influence, acknowledging the country’s progress despite temporary reform challenges. His government is focused on improving business operations.
Furthermore, he emphasized his administration’s dedication to strengthening important sectors like healthcare, education, and agriculture to protect Nigerian citizens’ well-being and promote long-lasting economic growth.
President Tinubu also confirmed his government’s commitment to fighting corruption thoroughly, while also prioritizing investments in critical areas such as healthcare, agriculture, education, infrastructure, and others.
“We are stopping at nothing to remove all encumbrances to business. Red tape is being shredded around us. There is nothing we will not do to manifest the great potential of our nation. We are fighting corruption from the bottom to the top. We will prevent it, and we will remediate.
“We are very aware of your progressive legacies of social security provision, infrastructure, and reforms in Petrobras. We are in the process of implementing similar reforms in the NNPCL. We are focusing on investment in new production and new energy sources. We are investing in research, and we are removing obstacles to further partnerships in all areas of operation. There is opportunity for both companies in partnership,” the President told the Brazilian leader.
