Israel partners Nigeria on agriculture, donates ambulances

The State of Israel has disclosed that it has ongoing agricultural cooperation with Nigeria, noting that Israeli technology and seedlings are already being deployed by Nigerian farmers. Speaking in Abuja on Monday night during Israel’s 78th Independence Anniversary celebration, the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, said Israeli companies were already operating in Nigeria. He added that while the seeds being planted were Israeli and supported by Israeli technology, the land and workers remained Nigerian. He added that cooperation between both countries was expanding across innovation, agriculture, healthcare, security, education and skills development, describing the initiatives as investments in a shared future. “When it comes to agriculture, Israeli companies are already working in Nigeria today. As you leave this evening, you will receive a box of vegetables. “These vegetables were grown from Israeli seedlings using Israeli technology but grown by Nigerian farmers on Nigerian soil. Hold that box for a moment and think about what it represents. Not vegetables, possibility. “Imagine that success multiplied across Nigeria. Higher yields, stronger rural communities, greater food security and millions upon millions of lives improved.” The ambassador also announced further commitments aimed at deepening Israel’s partnership with Nigeria, including the launch of a fifth cohort of its entrepreneurship programme and the donation of three fully equipped ambulances. “I’m pleased to announce tonight that we are committing to a fifth cohort of the programme for 2027. Today, I’m also pleased to announce that the first three fully equipped ambulances donated by Israel are on their way to Nigeria. “These ambulances will help save lives, where every minute counts, but they’re more than vehicles. They’re a symbol of partnership. They’re a symbol of what can happen when countries choose cooperation as a solution over slogans. We are expanding cooperation in innovation, agriculture, healthcare, security, education and skills development, not because these are acts of charity. “They are investments in a shared future. The future of Israeli-Nigerian relations will not be defined by speeches. It will be defined by entrepreneurs who build companies. It will be defined by farmers who produce more. It will be defined by doctors and paramedics. It will be defined by young people who refuse to accept limitations because when Nigerian creativity meets Israeli innovation, extraordinary things happen,” he said. Speaking further, Freeman said Israel’s rise from a resour