The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to enhancing relations with China, following recent agreements between the two nations.
This assurance was made by the Director-General of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership, Joseph Tegbe during a meeting with a delegation from the China National Development and Reform Commission in Abuja on Friday.
Tegbe, who was appointed just a month ago, emphasised the importance of collaboration in critical sectors such as infrastructure, energy, mining, agriculture, manufacturing, education, and technology.
“Nigeria aims to expand the bilateral relationship from commerce to a mutually beneficial development partnership involving industrial collaboration and knowledge exchange,” he stated.
The leader of the Chinese delegation, Zhang Huanteng noted that their visit aimed to officially present the Memorandum of Understanding signed in September. “We are here to formally present the signed agreements and highlight the priority areas of the Chinese Government, as stated in the three-year development plan,” he explained.
He also extended an invitation for further discussions in Beijing to finalise the details of their partnership.
Minister for Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu welcomed the delegation and expressed gratitude for their hospitality during a recent Nigerian visit to China.
He highlighted that five agreements were signed, focusing on the Belt and Road Initiative, which lists priority projects that Nigeria is committed to.
Bagudu assured the delegation that Tegbe would keep the President informed about progress, facilitating future meetings to iron out details and establish timelines for each initiative.
