President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to removing all bureaucratic bottlenecks impeding the growth of Nigeria’s agricultural sector, vowing to unlock the full potential of food and livestock production to ensure food sovereignty and boost exports.

The President made the pledge during a bilateral meeting on Friday with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the historic Copacabana Forte in Rio de Janeiro. The high-level meeting was attended by cabinet ministers and state governors from both countries and formed part of President Tinubu’s official visit to Brazil for the 17th BRICS Summit.

President Tinubu emphasised that Nigeria is undergoing bold economic reforms aimed at boosting global competitiveness, particularly in agriculture where the country already enjoys a natural advantage.

“We are eliminating bureaucracy that delays the realisation of our agricultural potential. We are ready for strong partnerships and immediate actions to stimulate food production, particularly in livestock, poultry, fisheries, and the blue economy,” Tinubu said.

He noted that Brazil’s global leadership in food production and agricultural research serves as a model for Nigeria, and expressed a strong desire to deepen bilateral cooperation across several sectors including trade, aviation, energy transition, mining, and natural resource exploration.

In response, President Lula da Silva pledged that all existing agreements between Nigeria and Brazil would be updated and signed without delay during President Tinubu’s next visit. He stressed the need to remove long-standing bureaucratic hurdles and assured that Brazilian research and development institutions will collaborate closely with Nigeria to enhance livestock farming and related sectors.

Speaking at the meeting, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari, stated that President Tinubu’s food security drive would be actualised through robust local and international partnerships. He highlighted Nigeria’s advantage in fertiliser production as a key area for rapid improvement.

Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, also outlined three priority areas for collaboration with Brazil: animal health and disease control, sanitary services, and research on genetic material and new livestock breeds.

Five state governors—Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Mohammed Umar Bago (Niger), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), and Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos)—joined the Nigerian delegation at the bilateral meeting. Governor Abiodun welcomed the inclusion of a business forum in Tinubu’s state visit itinerary, saying it would generate fresh investment ideas and catalyse the transformation of Nigeria’s agriculture sector.

Also present were the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mohammed Mohammed.