The government of Saint Lucia has conferred President Bola Tinubu with the title of Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Lucia (KCOSL) — the highest honour in the country.

“The Government of Saint Lucia is pleased to announce that, the Governor General has conferred the title of Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Lucia (KCOSL) upon H. E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the country announced in an X post.

Tinubu arrived the country on Saturday to kick off a two-nation diplomatic tour of the Caribbean and South America.

The president had earlier addressed a special joint session of the senate and the house of assembly of Saint Lucia.

He said he held the view that Africans and people of African origins everywhere have a shared destiny and must work together towards a glorious future.

“My visit to Saint Lucia is in keeping with the ideal of building the bridge between Africa and the Caribbean and creating a pathway to deepen economic ties and foster mutual cooperation. It also reflects our desire as a people to advance prosperity, sustainable development, and strengthen familial bonds,” he said.

“Nigeria and the island of Saint Lucia are bound by history, culture, and common aspirations. Our administration is determined to nurture and expand bilateral relations on trade, investment, tourism, education, and cultural exchange, as well as improve consular services for the citizens of both our nations.”

Meanwhile, the government of Saint Lucia has said it would formalise diplomatic relations with Nigeria to establish a structured framework for exploring and advancing cooperation across a broad range of mutually beneficial areas.

“Saint Lucia and the Federal Republic of Nigeria will establish a visa waiver arrangement for holders of diplomatic and official passports from OECS member states,” the government said in a statement.

“Nigeria will provide scholarships to citizens of OECS member countries and extend the services of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (TAC) to OECS countries.”