President Bola Tinubu appears to have postponed his planned departure for official visits to Japan and Brazil from Thursday to Friday, following a day packed with official engagements at the Presidential Villa.
While the Presidency had initially announced through Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga that the President would depart Abuja on Thursday, August 14, sources within the administration suggest the timeline may have shifted.
According to presidency sources who spoke to Vanguard, Tinubu was occupied with various official matters throughout Thursday, including receiving World Trade Organisation Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at the Presidential Villa.
“The President may have decided to begin the two-nation trip on Friday” after his busy Thursday schedule, the sources indicated, though no formal announcement has been made regarding the date change.
The original itinerary outlined that Tinubu would make a stopover in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, before proceeding to Japan for the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Yokohama, scheduled for August 20 to 22.
The TICAD9 conference, themed “Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa,” will focus on key continental priorities including economic growth, improved business climate, private sector investment, and sustainable development. Discussions will also address peace, stability, and human security across Africa.
During his participation in the conference, President Tinubu is expected to join plenary sessions, hold meetings with Japanese government officials, and engage with chief executives of companies that have existing investments in Nigeria.
The potential delay comes amid criticism from opposition figures, particularly former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, who has questioned the frequency and timing of the President’s foreign travels given Nigeria’s domestic challenges.
If confirmed, the postponement would represent a slight adjustment to the President’s international engagement schedule, though the core objectives of the Japan and Brazil visits remain unchanged.
The President’s office has yet to issue an official statement confirming the revised departure date, leaving the final travel timeline subject to confirmation from the Presidency.
