Abuja: Nigeria and Brazil have signed the commercial phase of the $1.1 billion Green Imperative Project (GIP), aiming to boost agricultural productivity and enhance private-sector investment in Nigeria. The project is the largest agricultural initiative in Africa, focusing on the development of sustainable, low-carbon agriculture to improve food production efficiently and competitively.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the GIP’s initial memorandum of understanding was signed in 2018. Subsequently, the $4.3 billion phase two of the project and the $2.5 billion JBS were signed during President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Brazil in 2024. During the signing ceremony of the commercial phase at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Vice-President Kashim Shettima highlighted the project’s role in the administration’s efforts to enhance food security and economic growth.
Shettima emphasized that the Green Imperative Project would leverage strategic opportunities to drive economic growth and boost investor confidence. He stated that the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s 8-point agenda and aims to link small-scale farmers with various agricultural value chains across Nigeria.
The Vice-President noted the historical challenges of low agricultural productivity and highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit of Nigerians. He described the GIP as an opportunity that aligns with the government’s policies, focusing on a private-sector-driven approach to improve agricultural productivity.
Vice-President Shettima also commended various ministers and officials for their roles in the project’s success, marking the agreement as a significant milestone towards food security and economic diversification by 2025.
The Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos Garcete, expressed honor in associating with the GIP, acknowledging the seven-year negotiation process with Nigerian authorities to secure funding from private and regional development banks. The project will focus on importing agricultural equipment, with assembly and repair operations conducted locally, providing training and employment opportunities for Nigerian labor.
Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa praised the agreement, noting its importance for agriculture’s role in Nigeria’s economy. He emphasized the commitment from all government levels to transform agriculture in the country.
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue, representing the state known as Nigeria’s food basket, expressed happiness with the agreement and pledged full support for the project’s success. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, highlighted the agreement as an example of South-South Cooperation, drawing on Brazil’s achievements in transforming its agricultural landscape.