President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Japan to participate in the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), scheduled to take place from August 20 to 22 in the city of Yokohama.
The President’s aircraft landed at the Presidential Wing of Haneda International Airport in Tokyo at 12:50 a.m. local time on Tuesday—still Monday evening in Nigeria due to the eight-hour time difference.
He was received on arrival by Ambassador Hideo Matsubara, Japan’s representative in charge of Haneda Airport for TICAD, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, and officials from the Nigerian Embassy in Tokyo.
President Tinubu departed Abuja on Friday, August 15, accompanied by senior government officials, including ministers and special advisers. His journey included a brief stopover in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, before heading to Japan.
According to presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, the President will participate in TICAD9 plenary sessions, engage in bilateral meetings, and hold talks with chief executives of Japanese companies with existing or potential investments in Nigeria.
TICAD9, themed “Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa,” will focus on accelerating Africa’s economic transformation through private investment and innovation, improving institutional frameworks and business environments, and promoting a resilient and sustainable African society grounded in human security, peace, and stability.
The triennial summit—launched by the Government of Japan and co-hosted by the United Nations, UNDP, African Union Commission, and the World Bank—alternates between Japan and Africa. The last edition was held in Tunisia in 2022.
Following the conclusion of TICAD9, President Tinubu is scheduled to travel to Brasília, the capital of Brazil, for a two-day state visit from Sunday, August 24 to Monday, August 25, at the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
During the visit, he will hold bilateral talks with his Brazilian counterpart and participate in a business forum aimed at deepening trade and investment ties between Nigeria and Brazil.
