Vice President Kashim Shettima has announced that the agricultural partnership between Nigeria and Brazil transitioned decisively “from dialogue to delivery.” Speaking at a high-level agro-trade meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the Vice President declared that the breakthrough now clears the way for private sector operators to begin direct trading.
To initiate direct trade of vital food items and raw materials, the discussions centred on actively executing bilateral agro-trade and livestock pacts within both countries.
The meeting hosted a Brazilian delegation led by the country’s Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, André Carlos Alves de Paula Filho.
Nigeria and Brazil, which currently share a trade volume of approximately $2.1 billion annually, are actively executing a $1 billion agricultural mechanisation agreement alongside a separate $2.5 billion partnership to establish modern livestock ranches and genetic centres in Niger State.
Vice President Shettima, who co-chairs the Nigeria-Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism (SDM) alongside Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, applauded the operational rollout of their Joint Agriculture and Livestock Technical Working Group, which is already running active sub-groups focused on dairy, soybean productivity, and agro-climatic risk zoning.
The outcome of this session is the expansion of market access for Nigerian agricultural exports into the South American nation.
Brazilian Minister André Carlos Alves de Paula Filho announced that his ministry is in the final stages of preparing the official phytosanitary certificates required to open Brazil’s domestic markets to imports of Nigerian hibiscus, sesame, and shea butter.
Once the regulatory paperwork is completed, the Brazilian government has committed to directly connecting Nigerian exporters with potential buyers to secure commercial contracts.
The move represents the first tangible result of direct trade mandates established during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent State Visit to Brazil, where he met with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The trade expansion drew strong support from regional and national agricultural leaders. The Governor of Jigawa State, Malam Umar Namadi, commended the milestone, noting that Jigawa currently generates 75 per cent of Nigeria’s non-oil exports and is fully prepared to scale up local production to satisfy Brazilian market standards.
Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, added that the partnership with Brazil, one of the world’s most productive agricultural regions, will significantly fast-track Nigeria’s non-oil export earnings.
Vice President Shettima expressed deep gratitude to Brazil for establishing an Agricultural Attaché in Abuja and engaging the services of EMBRAPA, Brazil’s leading agricultural research corporation, to translate bilateral policy ideas into practical, high-yield programs on the ground.
Source: National Accord News
