Nigeria, China strengthen ties in BRI, nuclear energy, renewable development
Nigeria and China have agreed to bolster their partnership in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), human resource development, and nuclear energy following a meeting between the countries’ leaders. China, Nigeria’s largest bilateral lender, has provided loans totalling $5 billion as of March 2024, according to Nigeria’s Debt Management Office.
The relationship between Nigeria and China, which has spanned over 50 years, deepened in 2018 when the two nations became partners in the Belt and Road Initiative, resulting in major infrastructure projects in Nigeria, such as a deep-sea port and rail lines. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu emphasized that the partnership would bring robust development, stability, and security to the West African sub-region.
During his visit to Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Tinubu met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who described the collaboration as a key driver of China-Africa relations and progress for the Global South.
Additionally, Tinubu secured commitments from Chinese firms, including a pledge from Huawei to establish a joint solar PV test lab in Nigeria and another company’s promise to build an electric tricycle assembly plant and train Nigerians in technology and renewable energy development.