Tinubu Sets Sail for Japan-Brazil Mission to Strengthen Nigeria’s Global Partnerships

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to depart Abuja today for official visits to Japan and Brazil, following a slight adjustment to the earlier travel schedule. Initial announcements had indicated a Thursday departure with a stopover in Dubai; however, presidential sources confirmed that the trip was postponed by a day as the President attended to official engagements, including a meeting with World Trade Organisation Director-General, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

In Japan, Tinubu is expected to participate in the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama from August 20 to 22, before heading to Brazil.

The planned trip has drawn sharp criticism from former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, who accused the President of neglecting pressing domestic issues in favour of frequent foreign travels. In a statement on X, Obi described Tinubu’s itinerary as “endless foreign conferences that add little or no value,” arguing that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, economic hardship, and hunger require the President’s full attention at home.

Obi further questioned the timing of the journey, noting that the event in Japan is still days away. He urged the President to dedicate his travel efforts to visiting Nigeria’s most affected regions, engaging directly with citizens, and implementing urgent reforms.