Tinubu Moves to Eliminate Bureaucratic Hurdles, Strengthen Nigeria-Brazil Agricultural Ties

President Bola Tinubu has assured Brazil’s President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, that his administration is determined to remove all bureaucratic obstacles slowing down Nigeria’s agricultural transformation.

Speaking during a bilateral meeting with the Brazilian leader at Copacabana Forte, Tinubu said the move is aimed at ensuring food security and ramping up exports, especially in livestock production.

The meeting, attended by members of both countries’ cabinets, was disclosed in a statement by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

According to the statement, Tinubu explained that Nigeria is already implementing broad economic reforms to make the country globally competitive, with agriculture being a major focus due to its natural advantage.

“All technicalities in agreements with Brazil will be streamlined and fast-tracked to cover trade, aviation, energy transition, agriculture, mining, and resource exploration,” Onanuga quoted Tinubu as saying.

The Nigerian leader also praised Brazil’s globally respected research and development capacities, noting that they have made the country one of the top producers of food and agricultural commodities.

Highlighting his administration’s plans, Tinubu said investments are underway in poultry, cattle farming, fisheries, and blue economy initiatives, adding that subnational governments would complement these efforts by using agriculture to drive job creation and revenue.

In response, President Lula pledged to regularise all existing agreements and ensure pending Memoranda of Understanding are signed during Tinubu’s next visit. He agreed that bureaucracy must be cleared to achieve swift outcomes, revealing that Brazilian research institutions will work with Nigeria to enhance livestock breeding and disease control.

Also speaking, Nigeria’s Agriculture Minister, Abubakar Kyari, said Tinubu had consistently pushed for food security as a priority, leveraging local and international partnerships. He noted that Nigeria already enjoys a competitive edge in fertiliser production.

On his part, Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, identified three key areas for cooperation with Brazil: livestock health and disease management, sanitary protocols, and advanced research into genetic materials and breeds.

The bilateral meeting was attended by several state governors, including Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Mohammed Umar Bago (Niger), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), and Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos). Abiodun stressed that subnational governments are committed to aligning with federal initiatives to overhaul the agricultural sector.

The discussions also featured Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed.