President Bola Tinubu has appointed Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as Director-General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China strategic partnership.
This decision came after both countries expressed their commitment to forming hospital alliances and cooperating on medical research. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy), announced this in a press release on Sunday.
According to the statement, Tegbe, a 1988 first-class graduate in civil engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, will report directly to the President. He is also a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.
Onanuga stated that Tegbe will present a strategic action plan aimed at enabling Nigeria to benefit from the agreements between the two countries in Beijing.
“As the czar of the strategic partnership, he will lead day-to-day operations, engage continuously with the Chinese counterparts, and ensure that all deliverables are met and synchronised with national development goals.
“In the strategic plan, he will outline the specific deliverables, timelines, and key performance indicators for each area of cooperation. This will include priority projects, projected investments and expected socioeconomic outcomes,” part of the statement read.
During the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), President Xi Jinping promised to provide 360 billion yuan, approximately $51 billion, in new funding to African nations over the next three years.
Before the FOCAC, President Tinubu secured a commitment from President Xi to assist Nigeria’s economic diversification plans, develop infrastructure, transfer technology, and create jobs.