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By Tracy Moses
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to strengthening economic partnerships with Brazil through targeted investments in key sectors.
Ambassador Tuggar made this known while addressing a high-level Brazil, Nigeria Business Roundtable in Rio de Janeiro, which brought together influential investors and business leaders.
The roundtable was organized by ApexBrasil, Brazil’s foremost investment promotion agency—in collaboration with Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES).
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday evening by the Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the Minister, Alkasim Abdulkadir.
The statement highlighted the presence of several key stakeholders at the forum. These included José Luis Pinho Leite Gordon, Director of Productive Development, Innovation, and Foreign Trade at BNDES; Raphael Cittadino, Executive Chief of Staff at ApexBrasil; and Marcelo Salum, Head of Investment Promotion at Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE).
Also in attendance were representatives from major Brazilian corporations such as Petrobras and Embraer, underscoring the growing interest in Nigeria’s economic potential.
In his remarks, Ambassador Tuggar called for the revitalization of trade relations between Nigeria and Brazil, anchored on deep historical and cultural ties. He emphasized that future economic cooperation should harness the comparative advantages of both nations, propelled by innovative private sector participation and reinforced by strong governmental support.
The Minister pointed to ongoing reforms and Nigeria’s commitment to de-risking the investment climate through instruments such as investment insurance. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to attract strategic, long-term partnerships.
“Our countries share a legacy of cooperation. Now is the time to translate that legacy into tangible economic progress,” Tuggar stated.
Speaking on behalf of Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Marcelo Salum noted that Nigeria offers immense opportunities across sectors such as energy, agriculture, aviation, and digital technology. He praised Nigeria’s vibrant tech ecosystem, including its unicorn companies, and expressed optimism about initiatives like the Green Imperative Project and expanded trade in sugar and ethanol.
Other participants included Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Brazil, Ambassador Basil Okolo, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Ms. Aisha Rimi, who joined the session virtually.