Nigeria and Brazil have taken a major step in strengthening bilateral ties by signing a series of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering critical sectors such as defence, energy, drug control, and agriculture, with a flagship $1 billion Green Imperative agricultural initiative at the heart of the new alliance.
Speaking at the 2nd Nigeria-Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Vice President Kashim Shettima emphasized that the renewed partnership is not driven by geography but by a shared vision for prosperity, sustainability, and inclusive growth.
Green Imperative: $1bn Boost to Nigerian Agriculture
The Green Imperative initiative, jointly developed by both nations, is a transformative agricultural program aimed at mechanizing Nigeria’s farming sector through the provision of modern equipment, training centers, and service hubs nationwide.
“This project will create jobs, raise productivity, and help secure Nigeria’s ambition to feed itself and others,” Shettima said, stressing that the initiative is central to Nigeria’s agricultural future.
Energy and Economic Reforms
VP Shettima noted that Nigeria is undergoing bold reforms to reposition itself as an attractive investment destination. These include:
- Fuel subsidy removal
- Exchange rate unification
- New business facilitation laws
He further hinted at Nigeria’s aspiration to build a $1 trillion economy by 2030, with renewed efforts in gas production, refining, and renewable energy—areas in which Brazil is a global leader.
“We recognise Brazil’s experience in biofuels and renewable technologies and see clear opportunities for joint ventures, knowledge transfer, and co-investment,” he stated.
Defence, Education, Health, and Innovation
The MoUs signed also extend to defence cooperation, health and education access, and innovation. VP Shettima called for measurable implementation strategies to avoid “signing without solving.”
“Let this Strategic Dialogue Mechanism not be remembered as a formal reunion, but as a decisive pivot—from aspiration to execution, from promise to proof,” he urged.
Brazil’s Vice President Alckmin: “Results, Not Rhetoric”
Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, who led a high-level delegation to Abuja, praised the partnership as results-oriented and value-driven. He noted key moments in bilateral engagement, including:
- Nigeria’s participation in Brazil’s recent food security summit
- President Tinubu’s participation in the G20
- The upcoming BRICS summit in July
- Brazil’s invitation to Nigeria for COP30 in Belém
“It is with great satisfaction that we witness the important results achieved in several fronts of cooperation,” Alckmin said.
A Shared Global Role
Highlighting both countries’ influence on global climate and energy discourse, Alckmin said:
“Brazil has the largest tropical forest in the world. It is impossible to discuss the energy transition without including Brazil. Nigeria too plays a leading role—we must work together.”
Tuggar on People-to-People Diplomacy
In his remarks, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, described the moment as a new chapter in Nigeria-Brazil relations, urging deeper people-to-people and cultural exchange to sustain long-term cooperation.
