The Federal Government has intensified efforts to deepen bilateral relations with Israel across critical economic and security tracks to accelerate Nigeria’s socio-economic development. 

The expansion has been confirmed in Abuja following a meeting designed to anchor tech-driven growth and enhance national security protocols.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, announced the strategic partnership while hosting the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Michael Freeman. 

The bilateral discussions focused heavily on areas of alignment, including defence, homeland security, precision agriculture, education, and healthcare delivery. 

According to a statement issued by the Head of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the SGF, Chris Ugwuegbulam, the intervention forms a central part of Nigeria’s broader economic blueprint to scale up to a $1 trillion economy by the year 2030.

A major highlight of the meeting was the focus on agricultural transformation to eliminate food insecurity in regions currently affected by banditry. Ambassador Freeman highlighted that Israel successfully transformed vast desert areas into highly productive arable land by deploying advanced irrigation networks and precision farming techniques. 

He stated that Israel remains fully prepared to transfer these innovative farming methods to help Nigeria boost its domestic food production and expand its agricultural export value, noting that strong political will is the primary requirement for successful implementation.

The dialogue also addressed identical security threats faced by both nations, specifically international terrorism and cyber-attacks. The Special Adviser to the President on Homeland Security, Major General Adeyinka Famadewa (retired), noted that Nigeria stands to benefit immensely from Israel’s advanced intelligence-gathering systems and tactical operational setups. 

The meeting, which was witnessed by the Permanent Secretary of the General Services Office, Mr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, concluded with a joint commitment to expand specialised troop training, tighten border security frameworks, and improve automated tracking mechanisms to block illicit financial flows nationwide.

Source: The Nation Online