In furtherance of its strategic vision to position the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) as a model of smart, green, inclusive and sustainable grassroots governance, the Council has commenced discussions with the Embassy of the Federative Republic of Brazil in Abuja on potential areas of technical cooperation, knowledge exchange and development partnership.
According to a statement by Sananu Jacob, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Executive Chairman of AMAC, the engagement, undertaken on behalf of the Executive Chairman of AMAC, Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, forms part of the Council’s expanding international partnership initiative in support of the AMAC Digital 10K Agenda and the Green AMAC Agenda.
He said they are two flagship development priorities designed to promote digital skills, youth empowerment, climate resilience, energy security, environmental sustainability and transparent governance.
Leading the AMAC delegation, the Vice Chairman, Hon. Yusuf Muhammed Nadabo, highlighted the deep historical and people-to-people connections between Nigeria and Brazil, noting that both nations share important similarities, including resilient populations, youthful demographics and a growing commitment to leveraging innovation and technology for inclusive development.
Hon. Nadabo said AMAC is particularly interested in learning from Brazil’s experience and exploring opportunities for cooperation in areas including bioeconomy, renewable and clean energy, climate-smart development, digital innovation, waste management, youth skills development and sustainable urban solutions.
He emphasised that the Council’s approach is anchored on the principle that international cooperation should translate into practical local impact, particularly by creating opportunities for young people, strengthening institutional capacity and deploying innovative solutions to some of the pressing developmental challenges confronting communities.
According to him, Brazil’s experience in developing innovative approaches to the bioeconomy and energy transition, among other areas, presents valuable lessons that could inform AMAC’s efforts to build a municipality that is environmentally responsible, digitally enabled and economically inclusive.
Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Ambassador, the Minister-Counsellor of the Embassy of Brazil, Mr. Leandro A. Da Silva, acknowledged the strong historical and contemporary ties between Brazil and Nigeria, noting the considerable areas of shared interest between both countries.
Mr. Da Silva expressed the Embassy’s appreciation for the initiative and welcomed the Council’s interest in exploring avenues of cooperation.
He stated that the Embassy would carefully study the proposals presented by AMAC and revert through the appropriate diplomatic channels.
Earlier, the Consultant on Development Partners and ICT to AMAC, Hon. Ambassador Mina Horsfall, said the Council’s international engagement is driven by the recognition that many of the challenges facing modern municipalities require innovative solutions, strategic partnerships and access to global knowledge.
She identified climate change, youth unemployment, waste management, energy security, digital inclusion and the demand for smarter, more efficient and transparent governance as key challenges requiring coordinated action.
Hon. Horsfall explained that the AMAC Digital 10K Agenda is focused on equipping thousands of young people with relevant digital and technology-driven skills, while the Green AMAC Agenda seeks to advance environmental sustainability, climate resilience, clean energy solutions and improved waste management.
She noted that partnerships with international institutions, diplomatic missions, development agencies and the private sector would provide valuable opportunities for technical assistance, capacity building, technology transfer, investment mobilisation and institutional development.
The engagement is part of the Maikalangu administration’s broader effort to build strategic relationships with the international community and development partners, with the ultimate objective of translating global expertise and partnerships into measurable development outcomes for residents of AMAC.
The delegation included the Chief of Staff to the Executive Chairman, Hon. Emeka Orji, representatives of the Council’s ICT team, Mr. Salim Shittu (Protocol), among other officials.