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China National Chemical Engineering International Corporation Ltd (CNCEC) has expressed its readiness to support the development of the Federal Government’s $20 billion Ogidigben gas project in Delta State.
The CNCEC President, Li Zhenyi, stated this in Beijing when he received a delegation of Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), led by the Director-General, Joseph Tegbe.
A statement made on Monday, January 20, 2025, in Abuja by the NCSP media team, said Zhenyi expressed the company’s desire to support the project.
He said that the support would be through partnership with other Nigerian stakeholders in a restructured funding partnership.
Zhenyi expressed CNCEC’s commitment to contributing to Nigeria’s economic growth through construction and industrialisation.
He also reiterated his support to President Bola Tinubu on the ongoing development projects across the country to fast track his administration’s move toward industrialisation.
The NCSP delegation is currently in China for strategic engagement with key Chinese stakeholders.
The visit aims to deepen the bilateral cooperation between China and Nigeria, as part of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) projects coordination and investment drive.
The statement said that the visit would also ensure a review of priority FOCAC projects, explore innovative funding options and attract major Chinese investments into Nigeria.
Tegbe said that his delegation had also met with representatives from China Exim Bank and China Development Bank to discuss accelerated delivery of priority projects.
He said that the delegation also visited the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) headquarters, where they toured a 2.5 million eggs-per-day production poultry farm.
Tegbe said that his delegation also held strategic sessions with renowned economist and former World Bank Director, Prof. Justin Yifu, where he (Yifu) pledged support for NCSP in areas of policy implementation, reforms and attraction of Chinese investments.
The director-general further stated that the NCSP team visited TBEA, a leading electricity corporation in China and leading power transmission enterprise, located at Xinjiang.
He said that during the visit, the delegation discussed the status of TBEA project and explored investment options and opportunities in mini and micro-grid solutions to enhance Nigeria’s power sector.
Tegbe said that the delegation also paid a courtesy call on the Nigerian consulate in Shanghai, engaging in productive discussions about trade and investment opportunities in the region.
The conversations, according to him, focused on facilitating growth in key areas and exploring ways of enhancing cooperation between the consulate’s trade mission and his office.
The delegation, he said, thereafter visited Yangshan Deep-Water Port, also known as Shanghai Port.
“This massive port, which is currently the largest in the world, was constructed by China Harbor Engineering Company, which also constructed the Lekki Deep Sea Port in Nigeria.
During the visit, the delegation had the opportunity of crossing the 35-kilometer bridge, specifically designed for the evacuation of men and materials from the port.
“This bridge is a testament to China’s impressive engineering capabilities,” he said.
Before leaving China, the delegation is expected to engage key players in Chinese economy in Shenzhen and Guangzhou.
This, according to the statement, is to facilitate and fast-track FOCAC project implementation through familiarisation and feedback sessions with the relevant participating companies.
“This visit is part of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership’s efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and promote economic cooperation between the two countries.
“This initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for Nigeria’s economic growth and development, particularly in the areas of infrastructure development, technology transfer and job creation,” Tegbe said.
By Emmanuel Oloniruha
