• Tinubu appoints Tegbe to lead both nations’ Strategic Partnership
The trade relations between China and Nigeria hit $22.5 billion last year, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, has said.
The envoy said this as House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas announced that the National Assembly would deploy the necessary legislative framework to support the implementation of China-Nigeria agreements.
Both countries recently signed 13 new agreements during President Bola Tinubu’s visit to China.
Dunhai and Abbas spoke at the weekend during a reception for the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Dunhai said: “In 2023, bilateral trade between our two countries reached $22.5 billion. Our practical cooperation has achieved fruitful results in infrastructure, investment, trade, agriculture and green economy, covering projects for the aviation, on the land and in the sea. “The projects have brought tangible benefits to both Chinese and Nigerian people, and provided concrete support for Nigeria’s social and economic development.”
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The envoy stressed that “Nigeria remains China’s largest project contracting market, the second largest export market, third largest trading partner, and a major investment destination in Africa”.
He added that since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1971, both countries have been enjoying a long-standing friendship, with strengthened high-level engagements, consolidated political mutual trust, deepened people-to-people exchanges, and fruitful outcomes of practical cooperation.
Abass said: “The National Assembly would deploy the necessary legislative framework to support the implementation of these agreements.”
The Speaker also said the House of Representatives would engage its Chinese counterpart as part of the efforts to explore more opportunities.
He said: “I am pleased to announce that the House of Representatives will be actively engaging through our China-Nigeria Parliamentary Friendship Group.
“This initiative aims to explore various areas for collaboration and cooperation, focusing on sectors, such as trade, technology transfer, infrastructure development, and cultural exchange.
“By learning from China’s experience in leveraging its legislature for national advancement, we can better position ourselves to address the challenges facing our own country.
“As we look forward to future endeavors together, let us reaffirm our commitment to enhancing cooperation between Nigeria and China. It is imperative that we work hand-in-hand to address common challenges while seizing opportunities for growth that benefit both nations.”
Abbas stressed that the recent agreements the forum reached with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signified a renewed commitment to strengthening our bilateral ties.
Also, President Tinubu has appointed Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as the Director General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership.
The appointment followed the President’s visit to China early this month when Nigeria and China agreed on key areas of cooperation.
A statement yesterday in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President on Information on Strategy, Bayo Onananuga, said Tegbe, a 1988 First-Class graduate in Civil Engineering from the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) at Ile-Ife Osun State, will report directly to the President.Tegbe is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN).
He will immediately submit a strategic action plan that will ensure Nigeria benefits from the agreements between the two countries.
As the czar of the strategic partnership, the director general will lead day-to-day operations, engage continuously with the Chinese counterparts, and ensure that all deliverables are met and synchronised with national development goals.