Key Points
- President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria wants China to share their technology to help with Nigeria’s buildings and overall growth in Africa.
- Tinubu praised China’s tech advancements and wants to learn from them to improve skills and knowledge in Nigeria.
- China’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs appreciated Nigeria’s role in Africa and highlighted strong trade relations.
President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria asked China to share their technology to help build better infrastructure in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
He made this request in Abuja during a meeting with Mr. Chen Xiaodong, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China.
The meeting details were shared in a statement on the State House website on Friday, signed by Tinubu’s aide, Ajuri Ngelale.
China Can Help Nigeria Grow
According to the statement, President Tinubu praised the partnership between Nigeria and China over the past 50 years. He said both sides should continue to work together for mutual benefits.
He emphasized the importance of hard work, understanding, and development. He encouraged China to continue supporting Africa.
Tinubu pointed out that China has the technology to meet Africa’s infrastructure needs. He wants China to help develop skills and transfer knowledge to Nigeria.
He said:
“I am happy that President Xi Jinping cares about Africa’s development needs.
We believe in ourselves and want to improve our people’s skills. China has grown rapidly; Shanghai, once a village, is now a developed city. We can work together more to learn from China’s progress.
Africa, especially Nigeria, needs major infrastructure. China’s advanced technology can help. We have many young people eager to learn. Skill development and knowledge transfer are very crucial.”
President Tinubu also thanked President Xi Jinping for his continued support and for inviting him to visit China.
What China’s Government Is Saying
Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Chen Xiaodong, said he was in Nigeria to discuss President Tinubu’s invitation to China and the visit’s itinerary.
Mr. Xiaodong praised Tinubu’s leadership in Africa and ECOWAS.
“You are a key leader in Africa. Meeting with President Xi Jinping will bring more opportunities for Nigeria and Africa,” the Chinese Envoy said, also congratulating Tinubu on his re-election as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
Important Information
China and Nigeria have had strong commercial relations over the years.
In the first quarter of 2024, China was Nigeria’s top trading partner, followed by India, the United States, Belgium, and The Netherlands.
Data shows that imports mainly came from China, worth N2,930.10 billion, which is 23.18% of total imports.
“Most agricultural products were exported to Asia, valued at N572.58 billion, followed by exports to Europe at N366.11 billion,” the NBS for Q1, 2024, stated.
Additionally, ‘Sesamum seeds’ worth N83.29 billion and N58.04 billion were exported to China and Japan, respectively, during this period.