Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Yusuf Tuggar, has restated the country’s commitment to strengthening both economic and diplomatic relations with China.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in China on the sidelines of the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of FOCAC Follow-up Actions in Changsha, Hunan Province, Tuggar highlighted the tangible progress recorded under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
Describing FOCAC as “not just a forum for discussions but a platform for action,” the minister praised the initiative for driving impactful developments across Africa.
Established in 2000, FOCAC has been the foundation of China-Africa relations, facilitating cooperation in trade, security, infrastructure, and people-to-people exchange. The year 2025 will mark the 25th anniversary of the platform.
According to reports, China has, over the years, supported Africa in constructing or upgrading nearly 100,000 kilometers of roads and more than 10,000 kilometers of railways. In the last three years alone, Chinese enterprises have created over 1.1 million jobs on the continent, according to China’s Foreign Ministry.
Tuggar emphasized that projects such as the Zungeru hydroelectric power plant and the Lagos-Ibadan railway were made possible through China’s investment and support. His remarks come as Africa increasingly seeks to diversify its economy beyond natural resource exports and participate in the global technological evolution.
He also revealed that Nigeria is negotiating with China to expand its access to zero-tariff treatment—currently applicable only to Least Developed Countries (LDCs) with diplomatic ties to China—to include Nigeria.
“We want to see more domestication of the refining process and also domestication of value addition on the supply and value chain,” Tuggar stated.
Implementing zero-tariff treatment for 100 per cent tariff lines is one of the ten partnership goals outlined by China and Africa to jointly drive modernization.
China has repeatedly affirmed its readiness to support Africa in accelerating industrialisation and modernising agriculture. Tuggar, however, raised concerns about Africa’s inclusion in fast-developing fields like Artificial Intelligence and satellite technology. He stressed that as the world changes rapidly, it is crucial for Africa not only to participate but also to benefit meaningfully.
Earlier, in his keynote address, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi disclosed that in the last nine months, China had provided 130.32 billion yuan in financial support and extended 139.95 billion yuan in insurance coverage for China-Africa cooperation. He also highlighted the expansion of trade opportunities for LDCs on the continent.
Wang Yi assured that China remains willing to collaborate with Africa to build a more stable and prosperous future.
Following the ministerial meeting, attention will shift to the Fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, scheduled from June 12 to 15. With the theme “China and Africa: Together toward Modernisation”, the expo will host participants from over 50 African nations, including Nigeria. Key areas of focus will include agriculture, infrastructure development, and industrial chain collaboration.
