Nigeria ‘very close friend’ of China, says Buhari regime

President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime says it supports the one-China policy and that Nigeria remains “a very close friend of China.”

Specifically, Baba Ahmad Jidda, Nigerian ambassador to China, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening cooperation with China. Mr Jidda said this on Monday in Beijing, on the sideline of the 2022 International Food Fair ceremony organised by the Commonwealth Society of Beijing (CSB) held at the embassy.

Mr Jidda said the friendship between Nigeria and China had been a win-win affair. 

“Nigeria and China have been having diplomatic relations for 51 years now, and we have signed numerous bilateral agreements between Nigeria and China. Nigeria is a very close friend of China, and we have an agreement on the one-China policy and our country,” Mr Jidda explained. “We have (an) agreement in the exchange of education. We have (an) agreement relating to trade and commerce. We have an agreement in bilateral air services; it is an agreement we signed very recently, which enabled Air Peace Airline to fly directly from Lagos to China.”

The Nigerian ambassador added, “We also have agreements in facilitating visas for officials and citizens. For instance, all Nigerian diplomats do not require a Visa to come to China. Just as Nigerian government officials holding government official passports do not require a Visa to come to China; likewise, we allow Chinese to go to Nigeria and obtain a Visa on arrival.”

Mr Jidda also mentioned that Mr Buhari had directed the embassy to issue visas to Chinese coming to Nigeria for investment within 48 hours.

He further said that both countries had shared similarities and established numerous agreements, adding that such brought about progress in their diplomatic relations.

(NAN)