President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to return to Abuja on Sunday following his official visit to China and a brief stopover in London. Tinubu departed Abuja on August 29 for Beijing, where he began his diplomatic engagements on September 2 with a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People.
According to his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga, during his visit, President Tinubu was honored with a 21-gun salute and an official guard of honour. Bilateral talks between Nigeria and China resulted in the signing of five key Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs).
These include a cooperation plan to promote the Belt and Road Initiative, agreements on peaceful nuclear energy applications, and human resource development under China’s Global Development Initiative. Additional MOUs were signed on media exchange and cooperation between China Media Group and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
Notably, Nigeria secured agreements with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) for the construction of the 68 km Lagos Green rail line, connecting the Lekki Free Zone to Marina, and a $1 billion iron ore-to-steel project in Kogi State with Sinomach-He of China.
While in China, Tinubu also met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, visited Huawei and CHEC, and attended the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). As ECOWAS Chairman, he delivered a speech emphasizing multilateralism and international cooperation for global peace. He concluded his China visit by meeting Nigerians in the Diaspora Organization, China chapter, and discussed his government’s reforms aimed at enhancing infrastructure and public services in Nigeria.
Before his return to Nigeria, President Tinubu made a stop in London, where he met King Charles III to discuss climate change and related global issues.
