Nigeria and Brazil have deepened bilateral relations with the signing of a $1 billion Green Imperative Agreement aimed at revolutionising Nigeria’s agriculture, food security, energy access, and defence capabilities. The accord was unveiled during the 2nd Nigeria–Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism (SDM) held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, with both nations reaffirming their commitment to South-South cooperation anchored in shared values and practical outcomes.
The Nigerian Vice President, Kashim Shettima, hailed the partnership as a “milestone in Nigeria’s renewed alliance with Brazil,” one rooted in mutual respect, democratic ideals, and economic transformation.
“Brazil and Nigeria are not bound by geography, but by a shared dream — two large, diverse democracies with immense natural and human capital, united by ambition and the ability to build,” said Shettima.
Transforming Agriculture through the Green Imperative
At the heart of the partnership is the Green Imperative Project, a flagship initiative set to deploy over $1 billion for:
Mechanised farming equipment
Agricultural service and training centres
Large-scale technology transfer from Brazil to Nigeria
Shettima noted that the project would create jobs, increase productivity, and enable Nigeria to achieve food self-sufficiency, transforming the sector from subsistence to commercial scale.
Energy and Economic Reforms in Focus
The Vice President also outlined Nigeria’s reform agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, highlighting recent bold moves:
Fuel subsidy removal
Exchange rate unification
Business facilitation reforms
These steps, Shettima stated, are laying the groundwork for Nigeria to reach a $1 trillion economy by 2030, with priority reforms in agriculture, energy, public finance, and education.
He acknowledged Brazil’s global leadership in biofuels and renewable technologies, inviting deeper collaboration in gas production, electricity, and renewable energy access.
Seven MoUs Signed Across Strategic Sectors
In addition to the Green Imperative, Nigeria and Brazil signed seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), covering:
Addendum to the Strategic Dialogue Mechanism – reaffirming the bilateral cooperation framework
Defence Cooperation Agreement – enabling collaboration in military training, intelligence sharing, and technology
Technical Energy Cooperation – joint efforts in renewable energy, electricity generation, and grid access
Livestock and Food Security Addendum – extension of cooperation in agribusiness
Tourism Cooperation MoU
Audiovisual Cultural Exchange Agreement
Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Control Cooperation – between NDLEA and Brazilian Federal Police
Brazil Reaffirms Commitment to Africa and Climate Agenda
Brazil’s Vice President Geraldo Alckmin praised the growing alliance, calling it part of Brazil’s renewed foreign policy under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He noted that:
“This partnership is founded on shared values and a concrete results agenda. It is with great satisfaction that we witness the progress achieved in agriculture, defence, and climate cooperation.”
Alckmin also invited Nigeria to the COP30 Climate Summit in Belém later this year, reinforcing Brazil’s status as a leader in the low-carbon and green economy.
Shared History and South Atlantic Security
The Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos José Areias Moreno Garcete, highlighted the deep cultural and historical ties between both nations, rooted in Afro-Brazilian heritage and mutual solidarity.
Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar emphasised the importance of enhancing maritime security in the South Atlantic, recognising Brazil’s strategic capabilities and shared security interests.
Agriculture, Health, Education, and Innovation as Pillars of Progress
Minister of Agriculture Senator Abubakar Kyari called for enhanced agribusiness collaboration, noting that President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda places food security at the core of national development.
Other ministers, including those of Trade, Health, Innovation, Power, and Culture, joined the dialogue, reaffirming Nigeria’s whole-of-government approach to the partnership.
“Memoranda are only as meaningful as the follow-through they inspire,” Shettima reminded both sides. “Let this dialogue not be remembered as ceremony, but as a pivot from promise to proof.”
Execution, Impact, and Inclusive Growth
The Nigeria–Brazil Strategic Dialogue has moved beyond platitudes to a concrete implementation phase, with more MoUs expected in the coming days. The outcomes are designed to foster inclusive economic growth, technological exchange, and global solidarity between two of the Global South’s largest democracies.
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