In a renewed diplomatic push to strengthen {economic} cooperation with Nigeria, the Chinese language Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, has reaffirmed Beijing’s dedication to deepening collaboration within the stable minerals sector.
Central to this initiative is China’s plan to ascertain electrical automobile (EV) factories and scale up industrial investments within the West African nation.
Ambassador Dunhai made the remarks throughout a weekend courtesy go to to the Minister of Strong Minerals Growth, Dele Alake, in Abuja.
He described Nigeria as a strategic companion in China’s overseas coverage panorama, highlighting its huge mineral wealth and rising {economic} potential.
“Nigeria is a superb nation blessed with large pure sources. Chinese language firms are already deeply concerned within the mining sector, from exploration to processing,” he mentioned.
He emphasised that China goals to align its partnership with Nigeria’s nationwide priorities, significantly President Bola Tinubu’s {economic} diversification agenda that seeks to unlock worth from the stable minerals sector.
The envoy additionally referenced the current diplomatic engagement between Presidents Tinubu and Xi Jinping in China, the place each leaders agreed to improve bilateral ties to a “complete strategic partnership”—a transfer anticipated to usher in a brand new period of cooperation.
On the problem of moral funding, Ambassador Dunhai maintained that the Chinese language authorities stands firmly towards unlawful mining and has instructed Chinese language companies in Nigeria to stick strictly to native legal guidelines and environmental requirements.
“We’ve got zero tolerance for unlawful mining. The Chinese language authorities is able to cooperate with Nigerian authorities to deliver any culprits to justice,” he declared.
Minister Alake, in his response, welcomed China’s continued assist however didn’t draw back from expressing concern over current incidents involving some Chinese language nationals accused of violating Nigeria’s mining laws.
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“Whereas most Chinese language companies function throughout the regulation, we’ve had circumstances of misconduct. A viral video lately uncovered a Chinese language nationwide allegedly bribing native officers. These actions tarnish the picture of accountable traders,” Alake mentioned.
He reiterated that the Nigerian authorities has intensified its crackdown on unlawful mining, notably by way of the deployment of Mining Marshals—a particular process drive devoted to implementing compliance throughout mining websites nationwide.
Alake additional burdened the significance of worth addition, noting that the period of exporting uncooked minerals to energy overseas industries is coming to an finish.
“With Nigeria’s abundance of lithium and different essential minerals, we’re specializing in native processing. We need to see electrical autos and batteries produced right here, not simply uncooked exports,” he mentioned.
He urged the Chinese language envoy to encourage traders from China to embrace a full-cycle funding mannequin that features mineral extraction, processing, and manufacturing—all inside Nigeria.
Ambassador Dunhai, in his closing remarks, expressed assist for Nigeria’s industrialisation objectives and revealed that discussions are already ongoing with Chinese language traders to arrange EV meeting crops and associated infrastructure.
“This aligns with President Xi Jinping’s broader goal of selling African industrialisation. Nigeria is a key a part of that imaginative and prescient,” he famous.
The assembly marks a major step ahead within the evolving {economic} ties between the 2 nations, with the stable minerals sector poised to grow to be a cornerstone of Nigeria-China cooperation within the years forward.
