<p>By Prevail Inegbenose<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong>Nigeria and Spain are set to deepen bilateral cooperation in agriculture&comma; technology transfer and investment following a high-level meeting between Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain&comma; Okezie Victor Ikpeazu&comma; and Spain’s Minister of Agriculture&comma; Fisheries and Food&comma; Luis Planas Puchades&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;p><p class&equals;"ari-link"><strong>Read also&colon;<&sol;strong> <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;sparknewsdaily&period;com&period;ng&sol;n33-75bn-unverified-cash-transfers-adc-accuses-tinubu-govt-of-running-racket&sol;">N33&period;75bn Unverified Cash Transfers&colon; ADC Accuses Tinubu Govt of Running &OpenCurlyQuote;Racket’<&sol;a><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The meeting took place on Thursday&comma; September 17&comma; 2026&comma; when Ambassador Ikpeazu paid a courtesy visit to Minister Planas at the Palacio de Fomento in Madrid&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Minister Planas congratulated Ikpeazu on his appointment as Nigeria’s principal envoy to Spain and the successful presentation of his Letters of Credence to King Felipe VI&comma; expressing confidence that his tenure would further strengthen relations between both countries&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The Spanish minister identified agro-food production&comma; animal health and irrigation as key areas where Nigeria and Spain could expand cooperation&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>He highlighted Spain’s advances in crop disease prevention and the production of improved&comma; high-yielding seedlings&comma; which he said had contributed significantly to large-scale agricultural and livestock production&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Planas also pointed to Nigeria’s extensive arable land as a major opportunity for increasing food production and developing agricultural value chains&period;<&sol;p><p class&equals;"ari-link"><strong>Read also&colon;<&sol;strong> <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;sparknewsdaily&period;com&period;ng&sol;fg-powers-yakubu-gowon-university-with-3mw-solar-hybrid-project&sol;">FG Powers Yakubu Gowon University With 3MW Solar Hybrid Project<&sol;a><&sol;p><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>He said Spain’s agricultural success was supported by improved seedlings&comma; food preservation policies and innovative technologies&comma; adding that the use of technology contributed to a 20 per cent reduction in food loss in 2025&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Responding&comma; Ambassador Ikpeazu said agriculture remained a major priority of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu&comma; particularly given Nigeria’s large youth population and the vast opportunities available across the agricultural value chain&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>He said greater utilisation of Nigeria’s agricultural potential would improve food security&comma; create employment and contribute to addressing irregular migration in Africa&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Ikpeazu commended Spain’s expertise in improved seedling production&comma; livestock development and food preservation&comma; assuring that Nigeria was ready to work with Spanish partners to increase agricultural productivity and reduce food losses&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The Ambassador cited the operations of Spanish company&comma; GB Foods&comma; in Kebbi and Ogun States&comma; noting that the introduction of improved seedlings had increased tomato yields from about 10 tonnes to more than 60 tonnes per hectare&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>He also expressed Nigeria’s interest in expanding animal production for domestic consumption and export&comma; while seeking Spanish expertise and investment in the sector&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"ari-link"><strong>Read also&colon;<&sol;strong> <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;sparknewsdaily&period;com&period;ng&sol;niso-backs-electricity-act-reforms-explores-opportunities-in-emerging-power-market&sol;">NISO Backs Electricity Act Reforms&comma; Explores Opportunities in Emerging Power Market<&sol;a><&sol;p><p>At the meeting&comma; both sides agreed to promote closer collaboration&comma; technology transfer and investment&comma; with a commitment to facilitate proposals from relevant government agencies and private-sector stakeholders&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The development is expected to further strengthen the existing bilateral relations between Nigeria and Spain&comma; particularly in agriculture&comma; food security and economic development&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;

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