Nigeria and Brazil have signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen cooperation in Science, Technology, and Innovation.
The settlement was signed in Brazil by Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, and Brazil’s Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Luciana Santos, within the presence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Minister Nnaji described the deal as a daring step in South-South cooperation unlocking jobs, industries, and innovation for each nations.
“From biotech to space research, digital transformation to energy transition, this partnership is a bold step in South-South cooperation—unlocking jobs, industries, and innovation for both nations,” he mentioned
The partnership spans biotechnology, area analysis, digital transformation, and power transition. It is predicted to open new avenues for industrial growth, analysis collaboration, and innovation-driven employment alternatives.
What the presidents mentioned
President Tinubu careworn that the settlement goes past symbolic ties and displays Nigeria’s dedication to flip alternatives into actuality.
He highlighted the function of know-how in advancing sovereignty and growth.
“There is no other way to do it than to embrace it with technology, fast development, research, food sovereignty, and manufacturing.”
Tinubu additionally highlighted the significance of data change in healthcare and prescribed drugs, urging stronger collaboration on know-how switch.
“I don’t see why the technological superiority of Brazil is not shared with Africa,” he acknowledged.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva described the settlement as a contemporary begin in Brazil’s relationship with Nigeria, stressing the necessity for stronger financial integration and cooperation throughout a number of sectors.
“At a time when protectionism and unilateralism have returned, Nigeria and Brazil reaffirm their bet on free trade and productive integration. We continue to be dedicated to building a world of peace, free from hegemonic impositions.
“There are many possibilities for synergy between the world’s two largest countries with Black populations. Agriculture and livestock, oil and gas, fertilisers, aircraft, and machinery, among others, represent wide avenues for cooperation,” he mentioned
Following a two-hour expanded bilateral assembly, the 2 leaders witnessed the signing of agreements and MOUs on the Palácio do Planalto in Brasília.
Other agreements reached throughout the go to embody:
Petrobras return to Nigeria: Brazil’s state-owned oil firm is resuming operations after 5 years, strengthening cooperation in fuel exploration and refining.
- Aviation cooperation (BASA): Nigeria and Brazil signed a Bilateral Air Service Agreement, paving the best way for direct flights between Lagos and São Paulo.
- Nigeria is Brazil’s forty ninth largest export vacation spot, with commerce totalling almost US$2.1 billion in 2024. Brazil exported virtually US$1 billion to Nigeria, primarily sugar and jams, and imported US$1.1 billion, principally fertilisers.