Tajudeen Abbas, the Speaker of the House of Representatives says the National Assembly will provide the necessary legislative framework to implement the agreements signed between Nigeria and China during the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit held in Beijing.
At the summit, both nations signed over ten cooperation documents, covering a wide range of sectors including nuclear energy, human resource development, and media exchange and cooperation. Additionally, they committed to high-quality collaboration on the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative.
Speaking at a reception in Abuja on Friday to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the speaker said the agreements reached at FOCAC signify a renewed commitment to the strengthening of bilateral ties between the two countries.
“These agreements will pave the way for further investments in critical areas such as energy production and technology transfer—areas vital for Nigeria’s sustainable development,” Abbas said. He assured that the National Assembly would deploy the legislative measures necessary to support the implementation of these initiatives.
He highlighted that China’s success is not just due to its economic strength but also the effectiveness of its governance and legislative actions in driving national growth.
Abbas assured that the House of Representatives, through the China-Nigeria Parliamentary Friendship Group, will effectively engage the Chinese government to explore various areas for collaboration and cooperation, focusing on sectors such as trade, technology transfer, infrastructure development, and cultural exchange.
“By learning from China’s experience in leveraging its legislature for national advancement, we can better position ourselves to tackle the challenges facing our own country,” he added.
In his remarks, Yu Dunhai, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, noted that President Bola Tinubu’s visit to China for the summit has heralded a new era in “our bilateral relations and opened up a new prospect for our practical cooperation.”
He noted that the signed cooperation documents will enhance synergies between the Belt and Road Initiative and FOCAC cooperation, leading to more impactful outcomes.
“Going forward, we aim to jointly build more roads, railways, airports, power grids, and base stations, extending their benefits to your beloved communities and hometowns,” Yu stated.