Nigeria and Brazil are set to deepen their strategic partnership in various sectors, including energy, culture, and agriculture, ahead of the 2025 Nigeria-Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism (SDM).
Gatekeepers News reports that the development was confirmed during an interministerial review meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, where Brazilian state oil giant Petrobras expressed interest in returning to Nigeria’s energy sector.
Petrobras, which previously ceased operations at the Agbami Field in 2020, is now seeking to re-enter Nigeria’s energy space with a focus on deepwater exploration.
Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar revealed that Petrobras wants to acquire frontier acreage in deep waters and will likely be part of the Brazilian delegation to Nigeria.
“We have not maximally capitalised on the fraternity between us and Brazil, but it is better late than never,” Vice President Shettima said, highlighting the strategic significance of the year 2025.
“The upcoming SDM presents an opportunity to execute sector-specific Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and unlock investment flows.”
The meeting also discussed draft MOUs in various sectors, including energy, health, culture, and agriculture. Twelve draft MOUs have been prepared and await final vetting by the Ministry of Justice. Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy Hannatu Musawa emphasised the need to deepen cultural collaboration, highlighting the ancestral ties between the two nations.
In agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture, reported finalised MOUs in soybean value chain development, cassava research, and agroforestry, building on the Green Imperative Project, a longstanding Nigeria-Brazil agricultural partnership.
Petrobras has been expanding its global footprint, recently acquiring stakes in three exploration blocks in São Tomé and Príncipe, marking its return to oil exploration in Africa.
The company’s CEO, Jean-Paul Prates, has stated that Petrobras aims to replenish reserves and develop new exploratory frontiers, contributing to global energy needs while minimising its carbon footprint.
