by On Tuesday in Beijing, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that Nigeria and China are upgrading their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
The two leaders also agreed to work together to build a strong Nigeria-China community with a shared future. This decision was made during President Tinubu’s official visit to China.
President Tinubu’s visit comes before his participation in the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit, scheduled for September 4-6, 2024.
“This visit is important for Nigeria and Africa, as I come here as the Chairman of ECOWAS. Thank you for the warm welcome,” President Tinubu said.
He emphasized the importance of strengthening the long-standing relationship between China and Nigeria to boost trade and economic development.
“Nigeria has great potential as Africa’s most populous country and largest economy, with a young population that can drive growth,” President Tinubu added. “Our partnership has now evolved into a comprehensive development partnership.”
He stated that this partnership should lead to significant progress, stability, and security in West Africa.
Regarding Nigeria’s economic reforms, President Tinubu assured President Xi that his administration is committed to sustainable growth through ongoing reforms.
“We see how President Xi has successfully reformed China’s economy, and our reforms in Nigeria are on a similar path. I am a reformer with a proven track record,” he said.
He assured potential trade and investment partners that Nigeria is making it easier for them to invest and manage their resources.
President Xi noted the strong mutual understanding between Nigeria and China, which has developed over the past 50 years.
“China and Nigeria, as major developing countries, can strengthen cooperation and lead progress in China-Africa relations and among Global South countries,” President Xi said.
He highlighted that the 2024 FOCAC Summit provides an opportunity to deepen China-Africa relations.
During the meeting, both leaders witnessed the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) on various areas of mutual interest:
A cooperation plan to promote the Belt and Road Initiative
An MOU on the peaceful use of nuclear energy
An MOU on human resource development under the Global Development Initiative
An MOU on media exchange and cooperation
An MOU between China Media Group and the Nigerian Television Authority
Earlier, President Tinubu visited the China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) in Beijing. He praised the company’s role in Nigeria’s infrastructure development and ongoing railway projects.
“It is important to assure Nigerians that the Ibadan-Abuja-Kaduna-Kano railway segments will be completed to meet the expectations of Nigeria and West Africa,” President Tinubu said.
He also encouraged CRCC to invest in Nigeria’s solid minerals and other ventures, stating that Nigeria is ready to do business.
Mr. Dai Hegen, Chairman of CRCC, informed President Tinubu that the company has been involved in Nigeria for 43 years, completing over 300 projects and training over 100,000 local workers.
He highlighted that the Abuja-Kaduna and Lagos-Ibadan railways have transported around 9 million passengers and 180 tonnes of cargo, with the Lagos blue line serving over 1.6 million passengers.
In another engagement, President Tinubu visited Huawei Technologies’ Beijing Research Centre, where the company announced the launch of DigiTruck, a mobile ICT classroom to enhance digital literacy in underserved Nigerian communities.
Huawei’s leadership stated that the initiative would operate in 10 states annually, training at least 3,000 students each year.
Huawei praised the Nigerian government’s efforts to train 3 million technical talents (3MTT) and equip young people with the skills needed for future opportunities. The DigiTruck initiative will complement these efforts.
Huawei also expressed its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s digital development and becoming a reliable partner to the Nigerian government.
Chris Lu, CEO of Huawei Nigeria, expressed support for Nigeria’s National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), which aims to position Nigeria as a hub for talent outsourcing in Africa.
Huawei plans to expand the National Optical Communications (NOC) to meet the needs of more African markets, helping more Nigerian technology talents serve international markets.
During the tour of Huawei’s Research Centre, President Tinubu and his team were introduced to the company’s latest innovations in e-government, smart education, smart grid, and solar power, all of which have the potential to enhance public services and digital governance in Nigeria.
Huawei also plans to establish a joint photovoltaic (PV) test lab with Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to support these goals.
