Petrobras, the state oil company of Brazil, is seeking to re-enter Nigeria’s oil sector, with a specific interest in frontier deepwater acreage.

As the economic reforms of the administration take root, the company, which had previously wound down its operations in Nigeria at the Agbami Field, is now actively engaging with Nigerian authorities as part of broader efforts to revitalise bilateral cooperation ahead of the 2025 Nigeria-Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism (SDM).

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, in a statement, explained that this was part of the discussions yesterday during the inter-ministerial review meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to coordinate Nigeria’s preparations for the second session of the SDM, scheduled for June 2025.

Speaking at the meeting, Shettima said: “The presence of six ministers and the Solicitor-General of the Federation in this review meeting ahead of the second session of the Nigeria-Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism shows the importance we have attached to our relationship with Brazil.

“We have not maximally capitalised on the fraternity between us and Brazil, but it is better late than never. The upcoming SDM presents an opportunity to execute sector-specific Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and unlock investment flows.”

The Vice President particularly noted that 2025 represents a critical moment of interface with Brazil, emphasising that the convergence of international events provides Nigeria a unique opportunity to advance its interests on the global stage.

“This year is our moment of interface with Brazil. Brazil is hosting so many global events this year, from the BRICS Summit to the G20 Summit and COP30. This convergence of events provides us with a unique opportunity to advance our interests on the global stage,” the Vice President said.