Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has arrived in São Tomé and Príncipe to represent President Bola Tinubu at the inauguration of President Carlos Manuel Vila Nova for his second five-year term.
Vila Nova is expected to take the oath of office on Thursday at the National Assembly in São Tomé.
He secured re-election in the presidential election held on July 19, 2026, paving the way for another five-year term as president.
Matawalle is expected to convey Tinubu’s goodwill message to the São Toméan government and engage with government officials on areas of mutual interest.
The discussions are expected to cover defence cooperation, regional security and other issues considered important to both countries.
Nigeria and São Tomé and Príncipe have maintained cordial diplomatic relations, with both countries cooperating in areas including democracy, economic development and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.