President Bola Tinubu and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil met on Sunday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for discussions on the comprehensive strengthening of bilateral ties in all fields.
A statement issued by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), disclosed that while speaking at the meeting, Tinubu emphasized the strength of Nigeria’s economic potential and influence, saying that the country is witnessing a leap forward, despite some short-term reform pains, as his administration is removing all encumbrances to business.
Grow your business with us
He also informed the South American leader that his administration is investing in critical sectors of the economy like healthcare, education, and agriculture to ensure the welfare of all Nigerian citizens and to create sustainable economic prosperity for future generations.
Tinubu stated: “We have a very vibrant population of young Nigerians who are trainable, dependable, and should be empowered. The economic potential of Nigeria is enormous. We are ready to break all the walls standing in our way to progress.
“We are ready to fight corruption from top to bottom. We are ready to invest in critical sectors like healthcare, agriculture, education, infrastructure, and others. I have one of the most dedicated teams on agriculture,” the statement quoted President Tinubu as saying.
Assessing Nigeria’s natural and human resource wealth akin to Brazil’s, President Lula da Silva said Africa’s largest economy and South America’s largest economy have a long and interesting history together.
The Brazilian leader said Nigeria and Brazil once had a trade volume of more than $10 billion in the past, which has now plummeted to $1.6 billion, emphasizing that he is determined to strengthen bilateral relations.
“I am back to try to restore and reclaim our good relations with Nigeria. I cannot imagine that a country of 216 million people and another of 213 million people do not have strong relations.