FG Steps up Nigeria-China Cooperation, Reconvenes Inter-ministerial Meeting on FOCAC Agreements
Samuel Mobolaji
In a renewed push to advance strategic cooperation with the People’s Republic of China, the Federal Government has reconvened a high-level inter-ministerial follow-up meeting aimed at accelerating the implementation of agreements stemming from the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s landmark state visit to Beijing.
The session, held in Abuja and jointly convened by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), brought together senior officials from key Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). The goal: to assess implementation progress, resolve bottlenecks, and ensure that commitments made during high-level engagements with China are translated into concrete outcomes.
Chairing the meeting, Ambassador Janet Olisa, Director of Regions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasised Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to leveraging its strategic partnership with China to unlock inclusive economic development. She urged MDAs to move beyond paper agreements and ensure that signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) are transformed into impactful, on-the-ground projects.
“The time for review has passed — it’s time to act,” Olisa said. “We must break the silos, resolve lingering institutional and legal challenges, and align our national development agenda with the opportunities embedded in our agreements with China.”
The meeting provided a platform for MDAs to present situation reports and highlight progress and setbacks in executing sector-specific partnerships, particularly those targeting infrastructure development, agriculture, energy, and digital transformation.
Discussions also centred on Nigeria’s access modalities to China’s pledged $51 billion green infrastructure fund for Africa. Nigeria is seeking to secure at least $10 billion from the facility to accelerate national development across critical sectors, including transportation, broadband connectivity, energy transition, and food security.
Ambassador Olisa stressed the need for harmonised implementation strategies and better inter-agency coordination to ensure Nigeria is well-positioned to tap into this substantial funding pool. She noted that without concrete frameworks and proactive engagement, the country risks missing out on major opportunities available through FOCAC and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Director-General of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership, Mr. Joseph Tegbe, reinforced the agency’s role as the central coordination body for all bilateral activities under the partnership. He called on all participating MDAs to embrace accountability and take ownership of the execution process.
“This strategic partnership is a golden opportunity for Nigeria,” Tegbe stated. “It is not just about infrastructure; it is about job creation, industrial growth, and sustainable economic transformation. But success will depend on how efficiently we can align our policies and deliver on our commitments.”
Key resolutions from the meeting included the harmonisation of legal and policy frameworks, prioritisation of bankable projects, streamlining of project timelines, budget synchronisation, and the immediate establishment of cross-functional technical committees to drive execution across sectors.
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