• China announces CN¥1bn grant for Nigeria, others, to train over 7,000 military personnel
The Federal Government says it is deepening its security partnership with the People’s Republic of China for local arms production and military training.
It says this forms part of its broader strategy to tackle terrorism and other forms of insecurity within and outside its borders.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, stated this when he briefed State House correspondents after President Bola Tinubu received China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.
Wang Yi is on a four-nation week-long Africa tour, which ends on Saturday after stops in Namibia, DR Congo, Nigeria and Chad.
Tuggar stated that bolstering cooperation with key partners like China would help Nigeria and its neighbours respond to shared threats more efficiently.
“We want to work with countries like China in domesticating production of military equipment, both kinetic and non-kinetic.
“We’re looking for this, so, we don’t have to go out looking to procure with delays and many rules and regulations. We need to be able to produce locally,” he said.
Tuggar’s statement follows comments by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, who said arms procurement was the military’s tightest bottleneck.
In a recent interview with Al Jazeera, General Musa explained that lengthy regulations often delayed deliveries that desperately needed by frontline troops.
The Defence Chief said this challenge, combined with the government’s drive for self-reliance, was driving Nigeria to seek ways of domesticating arms production with Chinese support.
During an operational visit to the frontline troops of Operation Safe Haven in Plateau State, Musa said the military high command might recruit skilled law-abiding citizens to locally produce firearms and military-grade equipment.
Speaking on Thursday, Tuggar re-echoed this stance and dispelled notions that Nigeria would rely on private military companies to tackle its security challenges. He also underscored Nigeria’s role as a leader in West Africa’s security, particularly in the Sahel.
“Let us work together towards solving our problems by ourselves. Let us shun this idea of allowing others to solve our problems for us. So, private military companies, as far as we are concerned, don’t matter whether they’re from north, south, east, or west. We don’t think it is going to provide the panacea,” Tuggar said.
“But when you (China) work with us, we can lead others in solving the problem. Nigeria is a very responsible country working with the constitution, so we’ve never had any expansionist tendencies.
“This is why others repose so much confidence in us and our leadership. And we will continue to work with countries such as China to address these challenges.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria and China have rejected external interference in Africa’s security affairs, reaffirming their commitment to African-led solutions for regional peace and stability.
China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, who also briefed State House correspondents emphasised his country’s opposition to foreign involvement in Africa’s internal matters, stressing the importance of African nations leading their own peacekeeping and counterterrorism efforts.
Wang pledged Beijing’s full support for initiatives aimed at enhancing the continent’s security, including a CN¥1bn military assistance package.
This also includes training 6,000 military personnel and 1,000 police and law enforcement officers for various African countries and supporting the African Standby Force and rapid response forces.
“China will firmly support Africa in strengthening peace and security capacity building. We will work with Africa to establish a partnership for implementing the Global Security Initiative, or GSI, and make it a fine example of GSI cooperation.
“We will work to advance the partnership action for common security and provide CN¥1bn of grants in military assistance to Africa and help train 6000 military personnel and 1000 police and law enforcement personnel for African countries.
“China will also continue to support the building of the African standby force and the rapid response forces and support African countries in carrying out counter-terrorism peacekeeping operations. China will firmly support Africa in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests, practising true multilateralism and not letting power politics and bullyism (sic) find their place in Africa,” Wang affirmed.
The Chinese officials also affirmed that his country would consider Nigeria’s request to expand the bilateral currency swap agreement.
This was as Tinubu urged the Chinese government to increase the $2bn currency swap between Nigeria and China to enhance trade between the two countries.
Tinubu also called for an upward review of the $50bn aid package for Africa, which China’s President Xi Jinping announced last year.
Initially inked in 2018 between the People’s Bank of China and the Central Bank of Nigeria, the swap was valued at CN¥15bn, equivalent to about N720bn (roughly US$2.5bn at the time).
By reducing reliance on the US dollar, the agreement was meant to help stabilise Nigeria’s foreign reserves while spurring trade and investments between the two nations.
President Tinubu said increasing the level of currency swaps would speed up the infrastructural development in Nigeria and deepen the strategic bilateral relations.Related News
“We still demand more in the area of currency swap. The level you have approved as a government for Nigeria is inadequate, considering our programme. If you can increase that, it will be well appreciated. Our bond should grow stronger and become unbreakable,” the President said.
Regarding the $50bn pledged by the Chinese government to support Africa, Tinubu noted that the continent’s infrastructural needs would require more commitment, urging a review of the amount to reflect the continent’s reality.
“I am happy you are part of China’s highest decision-making body. We will want you to use your position to influence improved project funding. First, I say yes to the $50bn support, and thank you for contributing to African growth.
“The infrastructural needs of Africa are greater than that, and we want to move as rapidly as our other counterparts,” he stated.
Tinubu called on China to support Nigeria’s bid for a permanent United Nations Security Council seat.
“You are a member of the UN Security Council. We want you to use your influence to ensure Nigeria secures the seat,” the President said.
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