Nigeria’s federal government on Wednesday, secured $1 million grant from the People’s Republic of China to support flood relief efforts in the northern part of the country. Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, disclosed this at the signing ceremony for the Exchange of Notes (E/N) with the Chinese Ambassador, Mr. Yu Dunhai, in Abuja.
Bagudu said the assistance was particularly timely, targeting communities in states that had been most affected by recent flooding disasters, including Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Borno, Taraba and Adamawa.
He expressed appreciation for the humanitarian gesture of the Chinese government, stating that it signified the growing cooperation between the two nations in areas, such as trade, infrastructure, technology, agriculture, and now, disaster relief.
The minister said, “We firmly believe that today’s signing ceremony will open new avenues for collaboration, strengthening our strategic partnership for the mutual benefit of our peoples.”
Bagudu welcomed the intervention as a timely boost to the national relief efforts, emphasising that it would complement the government’s ongoing efforts to provide relief materials and rebuild the livelihoods of people in severely impacted areas.
He assured that the grant would be managed within a transparent framework designed to maximise its impact.
Bagudu stated, “A transparent framework, leveraging past experiences and unified templates, will guide the process to ensure that the assistance reaches the intended beneficiaries in the most efficient and impactful manner.
“The government fully welcomes the joint monitoring and evaluation mechanism agreed with the Embassy of China.”
Earlier, Dunhai expressed China’s empathy and solidarity with Nigeria, recalling that both countries recently faced the destructive effect of flooding.
He said, “We would like to express our deepest condolences to those who lost their lives and also convey our support.”
The ambassador recalled that China suffered flooding around the same time as Nigeria, and stated that several lives were lost in Beijing’s suburbs in July.
According to the Chinese envoy, “In times of difficulty, China and Nigeria always stand together.”
He stressed that the grant demonstrated China’s confidence in Nigeria’s capacity to recover and rebuild.
He said, “We are very confident that, under the strong leadership of the federal government and with the dedication and effort of all the people, Nigeria will overcome this hardship and rebuild its homes in the near future.”
Beyond humanitarian aid, he stated that the broader relationship between the two countries had continued to strengthen.
Dunhai said, “As an ambassador, I am pleased that our comprehensive strategic partnership is progressing rapidly. Just two months ago, President Xi Jinping announced zero-tariff treatment on 400 per cent of tariff lines for African countries with diplomatic ties to China, including Nigeria.
“This will boost Nigeria’s exports to China, create more jobs, and support economic development.”
Jamees Emejo
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