President Buhari Departs Abuja To Portugal For Official Visit

President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja today, Tuesday, on a State Visit to Portugal at the invitation of President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the country's leader.

This is contained in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Garba Shehu, issued on Tuesday.

Garba said the president will hold official talks with his Portuguese counterpart and will be conferred with the country’s National Honour and decorated with ‘Great Collar of the Order of Prince Henry.’

He said the two Presidents will chair an enlarged bilateral meeting and witness the signing of some agreements bordering on issues of mutual concern.

According to the statement, "President Buhari will also visit the Portuguese Parliament and hold discussions with its president, Dr Augusto Santo Silva, as well as the Prime Minister of Portugal. During the course of the visit, the President is expected to address a Forum of Nigerian and Portuguese businessmen and hold separate meetings with select Portuguese Chief Executive Officers and prospective investors to Nigeria.

"President Buhari will also participate in the United Nations Ocean Conference, which began in Lisbon on Monday, June 27, and runs till July 1.

"The Conference, co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal and supported by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), aims to accelerate the adoption of science-based innovative solutions to challenges facing oceans and the global marine ecosystem.

"The Nigerian leader is also expected to engage members of the Nigerian community in Portugal on matters affecting them and developments at home."

He added that the President will be accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo; Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare and Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.

Others include National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd); Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar and Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) Honorable Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

The president is expected to return to Abuja on Saturday, July 2.