Brazil opens market to Nigerian shea butter, hibiscus, sesame exports

Nigeria and Brazil have moved from discussions to tangible results in their agricultural partnership, with Brazil officially opening its market to Nigerian exports of hibiscus, sesame, and shea butter. This development was announced by Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday during a High-Level Nigeria-Brazil Agro-Trade Market Access Milestone meeting in Abuja.

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We have moved with deliberate steps from dialogue to delivery, from agreements to implementation, and from shared ambition to outcomes that can be counted, weighed and shipped.

Shettima described the market access as the "first tangible fruits" of President Bola Tinubu's state visit to Brazil in August. He met with a Brazilian delegation led by Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, André Carlos Alves de Paula Filho, at the Presidential Villa. Shettima, who co-chairs the Nigeria-Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism, emphasized the shift from "dialogue to delivery, from agreements to implementation, and from shared ambition to outcomes that can be counted, weighed and shipped."

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This is precisely how enduring partnerships evolve.

The Vice President highlighted that these milestones are the product of months of diligent institutional work. The Joint Agriculture and Livestock Technical Working Group is now fully operational, with active sub-groups focusing on areas like dairy, livestock genetics, soybean productivity, agricultural policy, and agro-climatic risk zoning. Shettima praised the collaboration between ministries, regulatory authorities, technical experts, and private sector partners.

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I am pleased that we can today report the first tangible fruits of that presidential directive.

He also expressed Nigeria's appreciation for Brazil's deepening institutional presence in Abuja, including the appointment of an Agricultural Attaché and the engagement of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA). Shettima noted that these actions have strengthened institutional ties and accelerated technical engagement, translating ideas into practical programs. The initiative aims to significantly increase bilateral agricultural trade, which was previously considered far below the potential of both nations' resources.

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They show what becomes possible when political leadership is matched by strong institutions and by the humility to do the unglamorous work of implementation.