By John Moses
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria is undergoing a “silent but bold transformation” under President Bola Tinubu, as the country forges closer economic and diplomatic ties with Brazil.
Speaking at the Nigeria–Brazil Business Forum held in Abuja on Wednesday, Shettima praised the South American nation as a key strategic ally, particularly in agriculture, infrastructure, energy, and industrial development.
“This renewed strategic alliance is grounded in intent and rich with the potential for mutual growth,” Shettima told attendees at the forum themed ‘Roots to Revenue: The Nigeria–Brazil Corridor’.
He highlighted that under President Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria is steadily opening up markets, reforming institutions and recalibrating policies with a clear focus on long-term economic stability. “What drives these changes is a seriousness of purpose that goes beyond reform for reform’s sake,” he said. “We seek partners who respect our ambition and are willing to walk the path with us.”
Shettima emphasised that Nigeria’s development strategy mirrors Brazil’s past successes, pointing to Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones and energy transition agenda as areas of alignment.
“Brazil can stand with us—not as a donor, but as a partner in innovation, training, and investment,” he added.
On energy, the Vice-President noted Nigeria’s focus on utilising its vast natural gas reserves while pursuing renewable alternatives, saying Brazil’s clean energy leadership offers a proven template for success.
His Brazilian counterpart, Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin, described the current period as “one of the most promising moments” in Nigeria-Brazil relations and pledged Brazil’s commitment to deepening cooperation in key sectors.
“Despite our shared history, trade between us remains far below its potential,” Alckmin said. “Brazil is committed to building a commercially successful South-South corridor with Nigeria.”
Alckmin also cited the Green Imperative Initiative—a $1.1 billion programme to transfer agricultural technologies—as a prime example of productive bilateral collaboration.
Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, called for a new chapter in trade relations, lamenting the drop in trade volume from $9 billion a decade ago to just $2 billion today. She urged participants to move from talk to action, outlining agriculture, digital trade, pharmaceuticals, and the creative economy as priority sectors for Nigerian investment.
