FG, China seek deeper collaboration on power infrastructure 

Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has called for a deeper strategic partnership between Nigeria and China.

 

Adelabu, who spoke during a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, emphasised that such collaboration is essential to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and must also advance the local content advocacy of the Federal Government to preserve foreign exchange.

 

The minister praised the strong existing bilateral ties between the two countries noting that trade volume has reached $20 billion as he highlighted crucial Chinese investments in Nigeria’s energy infrastructure. 

 

He pointed to the $1.4 billion Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant and a $2.5 billion transmission project for the Eastern and Western super grid funded through Chinese financial institutions.

 

Adelabu, who stated that Nigeria is the biggest economy in Africa and China is the biggest in Asia, stressed the importance of the relationship saying it calls for frequent, quarterly meetings to review progress across all segments of the power sector.

 

While expressing gratitude for China’s support, the minister also raised two critical issues. He urged Chinese companies to help develop local Nigerian capacity by training workers and transferring knowledge as he also  called on the Chinese government to take stringent measures to discourage the manufacture of substandard products for export to Nigeria. 

 

Adelabu noted that while China produces high-quality goods, the proliferation of inferior items tarnishes its reputation and harms Nigerian consumers, insisting that there must be a minimum standard.

 

Ambassador Dunhai reaffirmed Nigeria’s central importance in China’s foreign policy for Africa and offered the embassy’s full cooperation and acknowledged the transformative potential of the Renewed Hope Agenda and expressed his understanding of the immense responsibility on the minister describing electricity as the blood of the industry.

 

Dunhai identified Nigeria’s talented youth and vast market potential as a solid foundation for continued mutual growth and collaboration.