China Pledges $130m to Nigeria, Other African Countries to Strengthen Military and Police Forces

China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, has announced that his country will provide Nigeria and other African nations ¥1 billion (approximately $130 million) to bolster military and police forces across the continent.

Speaking on Thursday after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at Aso Rock Villa, Wang Yi highlighted China’s commitment to supporting Africa’s security and development.

The visit by the Chinese minister aims to build on agreements signed by President Xi Jinping and President Tinubu during Tinubu’s visit to China last year. Wang emphasised China’s dedication to helping Africa establish a standby force and to promoting multilateralism.

China will firmly support Africa in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests, practising true multilateralism, and not letting power politics and bullyism find their place in Africa, he stated.

China will also firmly support Africa in achieving security through development. We will work with Africa to jointly carry out the 10 partnership actions and make good use of the 360 billion yuan of funding support announced at the summit.

The Chinese foreign minister said Nigeria is pivotal in maintaining peace and stability in West Africa and the Sahel region, especially as the chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

On his part, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, said Nigeria can address peace and security challenges in West Africa and across the continent.

He expressed Nigeria’s interest in partnering with China to enhance local production of military equipment.

We want to work with countries like China in domestic production of military equipment, both kinetic and non-kinetic, Tuggar said.

This is what we are looking for so that we don’t have to go out looking to procure and deal with delays and regulations. We need to be able to produce locally.

In recent months, there have been withdrawals of the French military from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in response to coups and growing anti-French sentiment in the region. Chad also terminated its defence agreement with France, a partnership dating back to 1966.

The Senegalese government also announced the imminent closure of all foreign military bases in the country, shifting away from the status quo of having foreign troops in African countries.

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