President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that technical committees be immediately established to finalize discussions on new joint Nigeria-China rail, power, manufacturing, agricultural and solid mineral projects.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu on Tuesday quoted
the President as giving the directive in Beijing after talks between his delegation and high-ranking Chinese government officials led by President Xi Jinping.
The technical committees are to conclude their assignments before the end of next month. The talks are part of the Buhari’s trip to China
Speaking at the talks, the president welcomed China’s readiness to assist Nigeria in her bid to rapidly industrialize and join the world’s major economies.
President Jinping agreed that Nigeria’s chosen path of development through economic diversification was the best way to go. To assist Nigeria to achieve this, China promised to fully support the country through infrastructural development and capacity building.
After the talks, Buhari and Jinping witnessed the signing of several agreements and memorandums of understanding by Nigeria and China.
The agreements include a “Framework Agreement Between the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the National Development and Reform Commission of the Peoples Republic of China.”
Others were a “Memorandum of Understanding on Aviation Cooperation between the Ministry of Transportation (Aviation) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Ministry of Commerce of the Peoples Republic of China” and a “Memorandum of Understanding Between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Government of the Peoples Republic of China on Scientific and Technological Cooperation”.
A “Mandate Letter Between the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and the Central Bank of Nigeria on Renminbi (RMB) Transactions was also signed.
