The House of Representatives committee on China-Nigeria relations was established with the primary objective of strengthening the friendship and cooperation between both countries. Chairman of the committee, Hon Jaafar Yakubu, shed light on the purpose of this committee during an exclusive interview conducted at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
Representing the Bali, Gassol federal constituency of Taraba State, Hon Jaafar stated that the decision to create this committee was driven by China’s profound interest in Nigeria and the desire to foster closer parliamentary and trade relations between the two nations.
He explained, “In previous assemblies, there was no committee of this nature, but due to the significance of our bilateral trade with China and China’s vested interest in Nigeria, the 10th assembly decided to establish this special committee.”
The committee’s overarching goal is to leverage its platform to cultivate a deeper friendship between Nigeria and China, particularly in the realms of conducting lawful business and enhancing parliamentary and bilateral ties between the two nations.
Hon Jaafar emphasized the importance of this committee in facilitating opportunities for China to legitimately promote its businesses in Nigeria and strengthen the relationship between the two countries. He illustrated this with an example from the mining sector in Nigeria, highlighting the distinctions between legal and illegal mining operations. He underscored that local cooperation is often a crucial factor in mining activities, whether legal or illegal.
He noted, “We have numerous Chinese firms engaged in legal and legitimate mining activities in Nigeria. My committee is committed to conducting a comprehensive investigation to identify and address illegal mining operations in Nigeria.”
Furthermore, he stressed that his committee intends to collaborate closely with relevant stakeholders to educate Chinese investors about the laws governing mining and business activities in Nigeria, aiming to prevent any violations of these regulations.
Regarding the significance of the mining sector to Nigeria’s economy, the legislator pointed out that Nigeria has the potential to generate around $3 billion annually from solid minerals. He also highlighted that over 100,000 Nigerians are currently employed by various Chinese mining companies, emphasizing the substantial positive impact of these opportunities. He stated, “With 100,000 employed Nigerians, we are effectively lifting 100,000 families out of poverty, which is a significant achievement.”
Hon Jaafar expressed his committee’s aspirations to visit the Chinese parliament and extend invitations to their counterparts from China to visit Nigeria. This exchange is intended to facilitate discussions on governance and people-to-people cooperation, further strengthening the bonds between the two nations.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1971, Nigeria and China have enjoyed mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, investment, foreign policy, education, and technology transfer.
