By Abdullahi Lukman
President Bola Tinubu has announced that the $1billion Green Imperative Programme, supported by the Brazilian government, will significantly modernise Nigeria’s agricultural sector through mechanisation, job creation, and improved food security.
Speaking during a meeting with Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday, Tinubu described the initiative as a shift from policy promises to practical implementation.
He said the programme, led by Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in partnership with Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and private sector stakeholders, will introduce advanced farming technologies and training centres across the country.
“The Green Imperative Programme will drive technology transfer, enhance local capacity, and strengthen our food systems,” Tinubu said, noting that the initiative also reflects a shared commitment to people-centred development between Nigeria and Brazil.
Joined by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu stressed that bilateral engagement with Brazil has moved beyond goodwill to actionable cooperation.
He expressed Nigeria’s readiness to collaborate further with Brazil in agriculture, trade, defence, healthcare, energy, and innovation.
Tinubu also confirmed Nigeria’s active participation in the COP30 climate conference scheduled to take place in Belém, Brazil, highlighting environmental resilience as a shared priority.
On economic reforms, the president stated that current policies—including fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate unification—are designed to attract investment and build a resilient economy.
He pointed to Brazil’s experience in agriculture and renewable energy as areas ripe for partnership.
He also acknowledged Brazilian companies such as A.P. Moller–Maersk and Grundfos for their roles in supporting Nigeria’s infrastructure and humanitarian needs.
The meeting ended with a message of unity as Tinubu declared in Portuguese, “Juntos somos mais fortes” — meaning “together we are stronger.”
