President Bola Tinubu has traveled to Japan to attend the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), which is set to take place in Yokohama from August 20th to 22nd. 2025.
The President’s aircraft landed at the Presidential Wing of Haneda International Airport in Tokyo at 12:50 am on Tuesday. Due to the eight-hour time difference, it was still Monday in Nigeria.
He was welcomed by Ambassador Hideo Matsubara, who oversees Haneda Airport for TICAD, along with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and officials from the Nigerian Embassy.
On Friday, August 15, President Tinubu left Abuja with senior government officials such as ministers and special advisers. The delegation made a brief stop in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, before continuing on to Japan.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga stated that President Tinubu will participate in plenary sessions related to the conference during his visit to Japan, have bilateral meetings, and meet with CEOs of some Japanese companies that have invested in Nigeria.
TICAD9, with its theme “Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa,” will concentrate on transforming Africa’s economy. It aims to enhance the business climate and institutional frameworks through private investments and innovation while promoting a resilient, sustainable African society that ensures human security, peace, and stability.
The Japanese government initiated the triennial conference, co-hosted by the United Nations, UNDP, the African Union Commission, and the World Bank. The event alternates locations between Japan and Africa; Tunisia hosted its most recent edition in 2022.
Onanuga also revealed that following the TICAD9 summit, President Tinubu is scheduled to visit Brasilia, Brazil’s capital, for a two-day state visit from Sunday, August 24th to Monday, August 25th. This trip comes at the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
During his visit to Brazil, he plans to engage in a bilateral meeting with his host and participate in a business forum alongside Brazilian investors.
