President Bola Tinubu has voiced frustration over what he described as Nigeria’s slow pace of development, warning that the country — and Africa more broadly — must accelerate progress to secure their place in the global order.
Speaking in Brazil on Monday, where Nigeria and the South American nation signed a new bilateral agreement, Tinubu said Nigeria had too often been held back by its own internal problems. He described the partnership with Brazil as an opportunity not only to strengthen ties but also to reset the trajectory of Africa’s largest democracy.
“For too long, we allowed challenges to take the better part of us,” Tinubu said. “We tried to understand why we are not at the level we wanted. Past problems and distractions deterred us from making progress and fulfilling our promises. But today we say that is the end of that.”
The president stressed that his administration is working to restore Nigeria’s sovereignty to “the level of expectation” its people deserve, adding that his government is determined to position the country as a leading global player.
“Today, we are fighting and working hard to bring our sovereignty to the level of expectation that we, as a nation — the most populous, the most dynamic country in Africa — share with Brazil,” Tinubu said.
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He underscored the need for deeper cooperation between Nigeria and Brazil in areas such as energy, technology transfer, and economic expansion, arguing that such collaboration could open doors not just for Nigeria but for the entire African continent.
“Africa is the new frontier,” he declared. “We must embrace it, and through partnerships like this, we can widen opportunities for our people and shape the future.”
The bilateral agreement with Brazil, details of which have not yet been disclosed, is part of Tinubu’s broader diplomatic push to attract investment and technology into Nigeria as the country struggles with high inflation, a weakening currency, and chronic infrastructure deficits.
