Abuja - Ahead of the forthcoming Nigeria-Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism, Vice President Kashim Shettima has said due to President Bola Tinubu’s bold, courageous leadership and well-thought-out policies, Nigeria is now on a new growth trajectory, ready for investments across different sectors.
This is just as Brazil’s Vice President, Geraldo Alckmin, is set to lead a delegation of top executives in the country’s public and private sectors on a state visit to Nigeria for the second session of the Brazil-Nigeria Mechanism for Strategic Dialogue after over a decade-long break.
Speaking yesterday during an update meeting with relevant ministers and heads of agencies at the Presidential Villa, Vice President Shettima, in a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, noted that “in President Bola Tinubu, we have a leader who has shown that dexterity, that audacity to hope for a better tomorrow.”
Senator Shettima expressed satisfaction with the ministers’ firm grasp of the real issues in the key sectors targeted for deliberations during the Nigeria-Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism, which is slated for later in the year.
He called on all the key actors on the Nigerian side to make adequate preparations for the meeting, noting that there has to be some clarity, strategic coherence and a deep understanding of issues that will be tabled for discussion.
He said, “I want to urge all Ministers involved in this Nigeria-Brazil strategic dialogue to take charge of the initiative of the discussions so that we can take it to the next level; let’s walk the talk. Please drive the process and engage with the different strategic focus groups to give you weekly updates to prepare us for the visit of the Brazilian Vice President and his delegation.
“The most important thing now is for us to actualise the dreams of our nation’s development. We have the resources and institutional knowledge to make this work for our country.”
Regarding the similarities between Nigeria and Brazil, the Vice President stressed the need to leverage the huge opportunities inherent in the partnership between both countries to actualise Nigeria’s vision in agriculture, culture and tourism, livestock production, and military technology, among other areas.
Earlier in his speech, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, said the dialogue presents a renewed opportunity for Nigeria to revitalise the nation’s agricultural sector and attain the administration‘s food sovereignty goals.
On behalf of the agriculture sector, it is time for us to walk the talk. It is a good day for Nigeria because agriculture will play a major role in the partnership. We have an opportunity to catch up with the rest of the world and be on our way to food sovereignty,“ the Minister said.
Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy Hannatu Musawa, spoke on the cultural significance of the partnership, saying, „There is a huge population in Brazil of Nigerian descent who have a lot of interest in Nigeria.
What we have done in the Ministry is to engage Brazil actively in working together. We already have an MoU but want to expand that beyond cultural diplomacy. Brazilians are very interested in tapping into our creative industry,“ she added.
The Minister hinted at plans to rebuild the Nigerian House in Brazil and host an annual Orisha Festival soon.
Minister of Defence Muhammad Badaru stated on defence cooperation: „All is set for the signing of a defence agreement with Brazil. We are also engaging with them on defence industry development to start production centres in Nigeria.“
Also, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Mohammed Ali Pate highlighted the healthcare opportunities that dialogue presents to Nigeria, noting that the platform is an important relationship for Nigeria.
He said, “Brazil is able to produce almost everything it needs, including pharmaceuticals and vaccines. We are keen on turning things around, and with the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we are unlocking the healthcare value chain. Manufacturing vaccines, diagnostics, and pharmaceuticals is on the agenda, but it‘s a very long journey, and we are determined to walk through it.“
Also, the Technical Assistant to the President on Agriculture (Office of the Vice President), Ms. Marion Moon, said, „Brazil‘s agricultural expertise—from their successful cropland expansion to their global leadership in key commodities—offers invaluable insights for our development. The upcoming $1.1 billion Green Imperative Project exemplifies the depth of our relationship and its potential to revolutionise Nigerian agriculture through modernisation and technology transfer.“
She explained that the Strategic Dialogue would be preceded by a Trade and Investment Forum coinciding with the anticipated visit of Brazil‘s Vice President and Minister of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services, H.E. Geraldo Alckmin.
Others who spoke at the meeting included the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, and a representative of the Minister of State for the Environment, Balarabe Lawal, among many others.
