News in brief:
– Nigeria and Brazil have signed a $1 billion agreement to boost agriculture and food security with plans to provide mechanised farming tools, training, and service centres.
– The deal aligns with Nigeria’s broader reforms to transition from subsistence farming to large-scale agriculture and achieve a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
In a landmark move to transform Nigeria’s agricultural landscape and deepen bilateral relations, Nigeria and Brazil have signed a $1 billion agreement aimed at enhancing food security, energy, and defence cooperation.
The pact was formalised on Tuesday during the 2nd Nigeria–Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism (SDM) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Vice President @KashimSM has applauded the over $1 billion Green Imperative agricultural initiative, describing it as a milestone in Nigeria’s renewed strategic alliance with Brazil – one grounded in mutual respect and practical cooperation.
Specifically, VP @KashimSM noted that… pic.twitter.com/59SAabzcBR
— Senator Kashim Shettima (@officialSKSM) June 24, 2025
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who hosted his Brazilian counterpart, Geraldo Alckmin, announced that the partnership will see the deployment of the funding to deliver mechanised farming equipment, training programmes, and service centres across Nigeria.
He stated that this is part of Nigeria’s broader push to shift from subsistence to large-scale agriculture and attract investment into its energy sector.
“We are moving from subsistence to scale in agriculture,” Shettima said. “In energy, we are taking long-overdue steps to attract serious investment into gas production, refining, and renewables.”
Brazil’s Vice President Alckmin, on his first official visit to Africa’s most populous nation, described the agreement as a symbol of shared ambition between two dynamic democracies. “Brazil and Nigeria are not bound by geography, but by a shared dream,” Shettima added.
The deal comes as Nigeria steps up its agricultural revival. Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, revealed that over ₦200 billion has already been committed to agricultural interventions. The Bank of Agriculture (BoA) has also been recapitalised with ₦1.5 trillion to support smallholder and commercial farmers.
Kyari hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s July 2023 declaration of a State of Emergency on Food Security as a turning point. “We have distributed over 2.15 million bags of fertiliser nationwide,” he noted, adding that the goal is to reposition Nigeria as a major food producer in Africa.
The agreement signals a significant shift in Nigeria’s strategy to unlock the full potential of its natural and human capital while targeting a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
