PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has named Joseph Tegbe as the director-general and global liaison for the Nigeria-China strategic partnership, following agreements made during his visit to China earlier this month
Tegbe, a first-class Civil Engineering graduate from Obafemi Awolowo University (1988), will report directly to President Tinubu.
This was revealed in a statement released by a senior media aide to the President Bayo Onanuga, on Sunday, September 29 2024.
The statement highlighted that Tegbe, a fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, is expected to promptly submit a strategic action plan to ensure Nigeria benefits from the agreements made with China in Beijing.
“As the leader of the strategic partnership, he will oversee day-to-day operations, engage continuously with Chinese counterparts, and ensure all deliverables are aligned with national development goals.
In the strategic plan, he will outline specific deliverables, timelines, and key performance indicators for each area of cooperation, including priority projects, projected investments, and expected socioeconomic outcomes.” Part of the statement read.
At the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, President Xi Jinping announced 360 billion yuan (around $51 billion) in new funding for African countries over the next three years. He also promised to support 30 infrastructure projects to boost connectivity across Africa and generate one million jobs.
The statement further explained that during his official visit ahead of the FOCAC summit, Tinubu secured President Xi’s commitment to aid Nigeria’s economic diversification, infrastructure development, technology transfer, and job creation.
Key agreements include collaboration on expanding Nigeria’s rail network, improving power distribution, and establishing new industrial parks.
Both nations also agreed to form hospital alliances, conduct joint medical research, and send Chinese healthcare professionals to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.
In education, the partnership will prioritize vocational training, STEM education, and academic exchanges, with plans to create engineering technology academies and offer scholarships to Nigerian youth for developing modern workforce skills.
Additionally, the partnership seeks to enhance Nigeria’s agricultural practices through knowledge sharing, technology transfer, and investments in sustainable farming methods.
Tegbe served as senior partner and head of advisory services at KPMG in Africa, overseeing operations that also included the Middle East.
He also led investment missions for sub-national governments, such as Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, Benue, and Bayelsa, to countries like South Africa, Denmark, China, India, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.
Fatimah Quadri is a Journalist and a Fact-checker at The ICIR. She has written news articles, fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy in an effort to combat information disorder.
She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or [email protected]