The federal government of Nigeria has entered into a landmark partnership with Brazil’s Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) to revolutionize the country’s agricultural sector.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed during the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, is aimed at driving innovation and investment in fertilizer production, hybrid seed technology, and agricultural finance across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
The agreement was formalized by Mr. Temitope Fashedemi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), on behalf of Nigeria, and Professor Carlos Ivan Simonsen Leal, President of FGV, at FGV’s headquarters in Rio de Janeiro.
In a statement released on Sunday, Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Information and Public Relations at the State House, emphasized that the partnership aligns with the Green Imperative Project (GIP), a $1.2 billion initiative launched in 2018 to modernize Nigeria’s agricultural sector using Brazilian expertise in tropical agriculture.
“This partnership paves the way for Brazil to engage with Nigeria’s dynamic and rapidly growing agricultural sector,” said Fashedemi during the signing ceremony. “Together with FGV, we are poised to unlock the potential of private sector investment in key areas critical to our food security.”
The Green Imperative Project, supported by Deutsche Bank, is set to introduce transformative agricultural technologies and facilitate knowledge transfer to Nigeria over the next 10 years. The project will also focus on identifying and supporting one agribusiness in each local government area with both technical and financial resources, fostering sustainable development and economic growth over the next five years.
The MoU is expected to attract $4.3 billion in private-sector investment, targeting key areas such as fertilizer production, hybrid seed technology, and agricultural financing.
Professor Carlos Ivan Simonsen Leal hailed the agreement as a crucial step toward fostering global collaboration for sustainable agricultural development.
The signing ceremony was attended by senior members of Nigeria’s Presidency, officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and FGV leadership, underscoring the high-level commitment to the initiative.
By combining Nigeria’s agricultural potential with Brazil’s expertise, the partnership aims to transform Nigeria’s agribusiness sector, enhance food security, and position the country as a leader in sustainable agriculture on the global stage.
