Nigeria, Japan seek closer ties to deepen trade, others

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Nigeria is seeking to strengthen ties with Japan as part of measures to deepen trade and exploit more opportunities in areas of infrastructural development, food security, and health, amongst others.

Vice President Kashim Shettima stated this on Wednesday while assuring the Japanese government of enhanced cooperation with the Federal Government of Nigeria, as well as resolving all the grey areas involving bilateral relations between the two nations.

He gave the assurance when a delegation of the Japanese government led by the outgoing- Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Mr. Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, and President of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Dr. Tanaka Akihiko paid him a visit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“All the grey areas will be addressed. Luckily, the CBN Governor is here, and two of the major beneficiary ministries are represented at the highest level. Be rest assured that in a couple of days, we are going to resolve all the grey areas and put our relationship on a new pedestal,” the Vice President told the delegation.
Shettima applauded Ambassador Kazuyoshi for doing an outstanding job in anchoring the relationship between the two nations, noting that the presence of key actors in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, including two ministers and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, accentuated the importance Nigeria attaches to its relationship with Japanese international development agency, JICA.
Shettima expressed gratitude to JICA for its commitment towards strengthening the ties between Nigeria and Japan through its contributions to development across critical sectors of the economy.
Specifically, he thanked JICA’s President for the firm’s donation of a grant of ¥1.75 billion to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to strengthen the Centre’s diagnostic capacity.

“Your Excellency, we are immensely grateful for JICA’s continuous commitment; words cannot adequately convey our depth of gratitude. Under the exemplary leadership of Dr Tanaka Akihiko, JICA has played a very vital role in strengthening the ties between our two nations.

“Your contributions span across critical sectors of our economy and society, aligning seamlessly with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I am glad you visited the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Tuesday where, again, you have given a grant of ¥1.75 billion for the strengthening of diagnostic capacity of the NCDC,” the Vice President said.

Shettima also acknowledged JICA’s assistance in polio eradication, which he said helped Nigeria to achieve polio-free status in 2020.

“We share in your vision of making Nigeria a hub for disease control in West Africa and, by extension, you can make it a hub for the whole of Africa because one in every four black men is a Nigerian. So, we implore you to further enhance the cooperation between our two nations. You are a silent giant. You don’t make too much noise,” he added.

The Vice President wished the outgoing Ambassador Kazuyoshi, a fruitful and productive tour of duty in his next location.

Earlier in his remarks, the President of JICA, Dr. Akihiko, sympathized with Nigeria over the flood that recently caused damage to many communities and deaths, especially in Maiduguri, Borno, saying the sympathy is special because Japan has been a victim of natural disasters.

Akihiko extended his gratitude to Nigeria and its citizens for understanding, supporting, and allowing JICA to participate in development projects in the country, noting that “the Ambassador of Japan, Mr Matsunaga Kasuyoshi, has done a good job in maintaining and improving the relations between Nigeria and Japan.”

He said he also visited the Nigeria Information Technology Centre where he met with the Nigerian engineers and entrepreneurs, noting that he was impressed with their ingenuity and level of creativity, just as he stressed that it has formed the basis of collaboration with JICA.

Speaking also, Ambassador Kazuyoshi disclosed that the Japanese government will hold an International Conference on African Development in Tokyo next year.

He said while the Japanese government has paid great attention to the partnership with Nigeria, it would like to use the opportunity of the visit to strengthen the bilateral relationship between both countries.

Also explaining the level of Japanese involvement in development in Nigeria, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusinesses and Productivity Enhancement (Office of the Vice President), Dr. Kinsley Uzoma, stated that JICA has done well in supporting Nigeria in the area of food security emergency support loan.

Dr Uzoma emphasised that one of the most critical areas of support is the project to rehabilitate and reinforce the Lagos transmission substation. This initiative aims to provide an uninterrupted power supply to Apapa Wharf, ensuring 24-hour electricity.

According to him, the project is instrumental in elevating the Nigerian port to meet international standards.

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