From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State Governor Dr Nasir Idris has declared the state’s readiness to partner with Brazil in agriculture to support Nigeria’s ambition of achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
The governor made this statement while addressing a Brazilian delegation led by Dr Tope Kolade Fasua, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during a one-day working visit to the Government House, Birnin Kebbi. The delegation included the Brazilian Deputy Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply, Clever Oliveira, proprietors of rice mills in Brazil, and the Managing Director of Wacot Rice Mill, Argungu, Alhaji Faruq Gumel.
Governor Idris highlighted the vast opportunities for collaboration between Brazil and Nigeria, particularly in agriculture. “Today is not a day for long speeches but a day for camaraderie, forward-looking, and learning. Our partners at TGI Group, whom we have supported through business-friendly policies to build the largest rice mill in Sub-Saharan Africa, will bear testament to what can be achieved when government and the private sector work together,” he said.
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“Our agribusiness credentials are known to the world, and it is part of our government’s policy to continue to support the agricultural sector. In that regard, there is a lot to be learned from Brazil. The successes in agri-energy are ambitions we have, and Brazilian collaboration is key to this aspiration,” Idris added.
He noted Kebbi’s status as the “rice capital of Africa,” with delegations from African countries studying its self-sufficiency in rice production and its role as a net exporter to Nigeria and West Africa. “The reforms we have introduced to ensure a business-enabling environment are too numerous to mention. From land acquisition to dispute resolution, Kebbi State is set to receive and promote businesses and all their attendant implications on the economy,” he said.
Idris emphasized that Nigeria’s goal of a $1 trillion economy by 2030, under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, relies on collaborations like this. “Kebbi State is ever ready to play its part as a subnational government under my leadership,” he affirmed, noting that his administration had assembled top policymakers to explore all avenues for partnership.
Earlier, Dr Tope Kolade Fasua highlighted Kebbi’s potential, citing its share of the River Niger, the Argungu International Fishing Festival, and its position as Nigeria’s largest rice producer. He stressed that the collaboration would yield new business ideas and investments.
The Brazilian Deputy Vice-Minister, Clever Oliveira, told the governor and his cabinet that Brazil became a global leader in food and livestock production within 20 years by leveraging its rich soil, population, and technologies. He noted that six out of ten orange juices and chicken products consumed worldwide are from Brazil.
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