Nigeria, Brazil to sign 30 MoUs on defence, agriculture, others
The Federal Government is set to sign more than 30 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) as Nigeria prepares to host the second session of the Nigeria-Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism (SDM).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three-day session, scheduled to begin on June 23, will focus on key sectors including agriculture, energy, defence, the creative economy, and innovation.
The forum provides an opportunity for the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to attract new investments and facilitate technical cooperation with Brazil.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia, said the session aligned with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He explained that the agenda prioritised economic revitalisation, global partnerships, and repositioning Nigeria on the global stage.
He also highlighted the planned visit of Brazil’s Vice President, Geraldo Alckmin, calling it a strategic step toward deepening bilateral ties between the two regional powers.
“During the visit of the Brazilian delegation, we will engage in comprehensive discussions aimed at expanding collaboration across key sectors like trade and investment, agriculture, energy, defence, innovation, and cultural exchange.
“These areas are critical to the sustainable development aspirations of both nations,” Hadejia said.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, said the Nigeria-Brazil Strategic Dialogue was established in 2013 and had gained momentum following President Tinubu’s official visit to Brazil in 2024.
She noted that a Nigeria-Brazil Business Forum would be a major highlight of the session, bringing together public and private sector leaders with access to a combined market of more than 400 million consumers.
Oduwole said the forum would also introduce sector-specific platforms, including a Digital Trade Room.
“Brazil’s expertise in digital inclusion and Nigeria’s dynamic fintech ecosystem offered powerful synergies for scalable innovation,” she added.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, said that both countries had been in discussions to enhance agricultural productivity and sign MoUs on research and development in animal genetics.
He said Nigeria would use the SDM platform to fast-track the Green Imperative Programme (GIP), a 4.5 billion dollars initiative aimed at establishing agricultural delivery offices in all 774 local government areas.
Similarly, the Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, said the ministry planned to harness the shared Afro-Atlantic cultural heritage between Nigeria and Brazil to transform cooperation in the creative and tourism industries.
She expressed optimism that new agreements would create economic opportunities and grow the sector.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, represented by Amb. said the session would advance economic diplomacy with a strong emphasis on trade, innovation, agriculture, and private sector partnerships.
Tuggar was represented by Amb. Janet Olis, Director of Regions at the ministry.
“We have close to 30 MoUs under negotiation across agriculture, defence, health, the creative economy, and more.
“Some of these will be signed next week, while others will be concluded during the President’s state visit to Brazil. We’re ensuring every ministry brings its best,” Olis said.
Marion Moon, Technical Assistant to the President on Agriculture and Executive Secretary of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU), said efforts to ensure the success of the meeting involved collaboration at both national and subnational levels.
“We plan to host Brazilian investors and take them to states like Kebbi, Plateau, Lagos, Edo, Nasarawa, and the FCT,” she said.
NAN reports that the SDM, coordinated by the Office of the Vice President, is not just a diplomatic engagement but a strategic platform to drive investment and deepen South-South cooperation.(NAN)
