Nigeria, Brazil Charts a New Pact for Global South Leadership, Held Strategic Dialogue in Abuja Commit to Trade, Security, and Development
By Raymond Enoch
In a decisive move to reshape South-South cooperation and chart a new course for strategic bilateral engagement, Nigeria and Brazil have reaffirmed their longstanding partnership at the Second Vice Presidential Strategic Dialogue Mechanism (SDM), held this week in Abuja.
According to a statement signed by Alkasim Abdulkadir, Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, the high-level dialogue, which began Monday, June 23, was convened by Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, OON, who welcomed dignitaries from Brazil, including the country’s Vice President, His Excellency Geraldo Alckmin, to the capital.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Tuggar hailed the meeting as a “defining moment” in Nigeria-Brazil relations, spotlighting a shared vision rooted in mutual respect, pragmatic cooperation, and a common Atlantic destiny. He praised the historical ties dating back to the 1960s, and the foundational contributions of iconic diplomats such as Ambassador Paulo Tarso Flecha de Lima and Ambassador Patrick Dele Cole.
“This event marks another epoch in the bilateral relations of our two countries,” Tuggar said, “and our shared commitment to strengthening cooperation and broadening mutual understanding through people-to-people exchange and deeper private sector engagement.”
At the heart of the SDM is an ambitious agenda to deepen collaboration across six strategic sectors:
Trade and Investment
Agriculture
Defence and Intelligence Cooperation
Culture and Health
Energy and Climate Change
Foreign Relations
The dialogue also highlighted tangible successes, including the Green Imperative Project, a flagship agricultural modernization initiative co-led by both nations. Discussions further touched on trade liberalization, joint defence training, cultural exchanges, and renewable energy frameworks aimed at combating climate challenges on both continents.
Ambassador Tuggar drew powerful parallels between the leadership trajectories of Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima, both of whom are former governors known for pragmatic governance and reformist records.
“From counter-trade arrangements to mutual assistance during periods of economic challenge, our two nations have consistently offered practical solutions that benefit both sides,” said Tuggar. “Another boom period in the Atlantic world is in the offing — and Nigeria and Brazil bestride it.”
The SDM, first initiated in Brasília in 2013, was reactivated as part of a broader effort to unlock the full potential of Brazil-Nigeria ties—two of the largest democracies and economies in the Global South.
The dialogue is expected to culminate in a joint communiqué outlining new frameworks for engagement and reinforcing commitments to South-South development, resilience, and inclusive growth.
With over 200 million people in each country, Nigeria and Brazil now stand poised to shape the future of intercontinental cooperation, using diplomacy, shared innovation, and strategic alignment to elevate the Global South on the world stage.
