Nigeria and Brazil have taken a major step toward deepening their partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focused on Science, Technology, and Innovation. The agreement was sealed in Brasília during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s visit to his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, marking a milestone in South-South cooperation.
The signing ceremony, witnessed by both leaders at the Palácio do Planalto, featured Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, alongside Brazil’s Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Luciana Santos.
Minister Nnaji described the collaboration as a gateway to unlocking jobs, industries, and innovation across multiple sectors. He highlighted key areas such as biotechnology, digital transformation, energy transition, and space research, stressing that the partnership is designed to boost industrial development and create employment opportunities.
President Tinubu emphasized that the MoU reflects more than diplomatic ties—it demonstrates a concrete commitment to translating opportunities into practical outcomes.
According to him, technology and knowledge exchange are central to building sovereignty in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and food security. “There is no other way to do it than to embrace technology, research, and manufacturing,” Tinubu noted, while urging stronger collaboration on technology transfer from Brazil to Africa.
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On his part, President Lula hailed the agreement as a fresh beginning in Brazil’s engagement with Nigeria. He underscored the possibilities for synergy between both countries, particularly in agriculture, oil and gas, fertilisers, aviation, and manufacturing.
Beyond technology, the visit also delivered new agreements: Petrobras, Brazil’s state oil company, is set to resume operations in Nigeria after a five-year break, and a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) will pave the way for direct flights between Lagos and São Paulo.
Trade between the two nations reached US$2.1 billion in 2024, with this latest deal expected to drive stronger economic integration.
