Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has called on the Chinese government to increase its financial assistance to Nigeria and the African continent at large.
Akpabio made this appeal on Tuesday during a meeting with Zhang Qingwei, the Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) of China, who was visiting Africa for the first time.
During the discussions, Akpabio emphasized the need to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance collaboration between Nigeria and China. He highlighted the declining trend in Chinese financial commitments to Africa, referencing the reduced pledge made at the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) compared to the $60 billion commitment in 2015.
Describing the occasion as one of “promise and possibility,” the Senate President urged China to not only boost its aid flows to Africa but also to focus on deepening trade, cultural, and developmental ties with Nigeria.
“While China’s trade relations with Africa have continued to grow, I take this opportunity to urge the Chinese government to increase aid flows to Africa, particularly Nigeria,” Akpabio stated. “Let us work towards building a partnership that strengthens our economies and enriches our cultural and social bonds.”
He further encouraged China to invest in Nigeria, leveraging the country’s abundant natural resources and rich cultural heritage. On the legislative front, Akpabio proposed the establishment of a Nigeria-China Parliamentary Friendship Group to foster closer ties between the parliaments of both nations and promote the exchange of legislative ideas.
“We can initiate this mutually beneficial relationship by forming the Nigeria/China Parliamentary Friendship Group, which will facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration between our parliamentary institutions,” he added.
In response, Zhang Qingwei reaffirmed China’s commitment to Nigeria’s development, describing the nation as a vital partner in Africa. He noted that his visit aimed to build on previous discussions between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during Tinubu’s visit to China in September.
“Our visit seeks to consolidate China-Nigeria friendship and trust, deepen exchanges between our legislatures, and enhance collaboration across various sectors to elevate our bilateral relationship to new heights,” Zhang remarked.
The meeting underscored the strategic importance of Nigeria-China relations, with both leaders expressing optimism about the potential for stronger cooperation in trade, development, and governance.
