By John Azu
China has pledged a financial grant of RMB200 million, equivalent to about N40.3 billion, to support the implementation of agreed development projects in Nigeria.
The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, disclosed this on Thursday during a visit to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, in Abuja.
Yu said the grant was part of China’s continued support for Nigeria’s economic and social development and reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
He noted that, over the past 55 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Nigeria, bilateral ties had remained at the forefront of China-Africa relations.
According to him, the relationship has entered a new phase of high-quality development in recent years under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The ambassador said China and Nigeria had maintained close communication and coordination while working together to implement the common understandings reached by the two heads of state, as well as the outcomes of the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit.
He said the objective was to ensure that the benefits of bilateral cooperation translated into tangible outcomes for the people of both countries.
“China and Nigeria have maintained close communication and coordination, working together to implement the common understandings reached by the two heads of state and the outcomes of the 2024 FOCAC Beijing Summit, and to ensure that more cooperation outcomes benefit the peoples of both countries,” Yu said.
Responding, Ahmed expressed Nigeria’s appreciation to the Chinese government for its continued and concrete support for the country’s economic and social development.
He said the grant demonstrated China’s sense of responsibility as a major global power and reflected the longstanding friendship between Nigeria and China.
Ahmed assured that Nigeria would make effective use of the grant and work closely with China to implement the common understandings reached by the two governments on bilateral cooperation.
He said the collaboration would further strengthen Nigeria-China relations and deliver greater benefits to the peoples of both countries.
“We will make effective use of the grant assistance, work with China to implement the common understandings on bilateral cooperation reached by the two governments, and further advance Nigeria-China friendship, bringing greater benefits to the peoples of both countries,” he said.