Nigeria, China plan collaboration on military training, arms production

• China announces CN¥1bn grant for Nigeria, others, to train over 7,000 military personnel

The Federal Government says it is deepening its security partnership with the People’s Republic of China for local arms production and military training.

It says this forms part of its broader strategy to tackle terrorism and other forms of insecurity within and outside its borders.

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, stated this when he briefed State House correspondents after President Bola Tinubu received China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.

Wang Yi is on a four-nation week-long Africa tour, which ends on Saturday after stops in Namibia, DR Congo, Nigeria and Chad.

Tuggar stated that bolstering cooperation with key partners like China would help Nigeria and its neighbours respond to shared threats more efficiently.

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

“We’re looking for this, so, we don’t have to go out looking to procure with delays and many rules and regulations. We need to be able to produce locally,” he said.

Tuggar’s statement follows comments by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, who said arms procurement was the military’s tightest bottleneck.

In a recent interview with Al Jazeera, General Musa explained that lengthy regulations often delayed deliveries that desperately needed by frontline troops.

The Defence Chief said this challenge, combined with the government’s drive for self-reliance, was driving Nigeria to seek ways of domesticating arms production with Chinese support.

During an operational visit to the frontline troops of Operation Safe Haven in Plateau State, Musa said the military high command might recruit skilled law-abiding citizens to locally produce firearms and military-grade equipment.

Speaking on Thursday, Tuggar re-echoed this stance and dispelled notions that Nigeria would rely on private military companies to tackle its security challenges. He also underscored Nigeria’s role as a leader in West Africa’s security, particularly in the Sahel.

“Let us work together towards solving our problems by ourselves. Let us shun this idea of allowing others to solve our problems for us. So, private military companies, as far as we are concerned, don’t matter whether they’re from north, south, east, or west. We don’t think it is going to provide the panacea,” Tuggar said.

“But when you (China) work with us, we can lead others in solving the problem. Nigeria is a very responsible country working with the constitution, so we’ve never had any expansionist tendencies.

“This is why others repose so much confidence in us and our leadership. And we will continue to work with countries such as China to address these challenges.”

Meanwhile, Nigeria and China have rejected external interference in Africa’s security affairs, reaffirming their commitment to African-led solutions for regional peace and stability.

China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, who also briefed State House correspondents emphasised his country’s opposition to foreign involvement in Africa’s internal matters, stressing the importance of African nations leading their own peacekeeping and counterterrorism efforts.

Wang pledged Beijing’s full support for initiatives aimed at enhancing the continent’s security, including a CN¥1bn military assistance package.

This also includes training 6,000 military personnel and 1,000 police and law enforcement officers for various African countries and supporting the African Standby Force and rapid response forces.

“China will firmly support Africa in strengthening peace and security capacity building. We will work with Africa to establish a partnership for implementing the Global Security Initiative, or GSI, and make it a fine example of GSI cooperation.

“We will work to advance the partnership action for common security and provide CN¥1bn of grants in military assistance to Africa and help train 6000 military personnel and 1000 police and law enforcement personnel for African countries.

“China will also continue to support the building of the African standby force and the rapid response forces and support African countries in carrying out counter-terrorism peacekeeping operations. China will firmly support Africa in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests, practising true multilateralism and not letting power politics and bullyism (sic) find their place in Africa,” Wang affirmed.

The Chinese officials also affirmed that his country would consider Nigeria’s request to expand the bilateral currency swap agreement.

This was as Tinubu urged the Chinese government to increase the $2bn currency swap between Nigeria and China to enhance trade between the two countries.

Tinubu also called for an upward review of the $50bn aid package for Africa, which China’s President Xi Jinping announced last year.

Initially inked in 2018 between the People’s Bank of China and the Central Bank of Nigeria, the swap was valued at CN¥15bn, equivalent to about N720bn (roughly US$2.5bn at the time).

By reducing reliance on the US dollar, the agreement was meant to help stabilise Nigeria’s foreign reserves while spurring trade and investments between the two nations.
President Tinubu said increasing the level of currency swaps would speed up the infrastructural development in Nigeria and deepen the strategic bilateral relations.

“We still demand more in the area of currency swap. The level you have approved as a government for Nigeria is inadequate, considering our programme. If you can increase that, it will be well appreciated. Our bond should grow stronger and become unbreakable,” the President said.

Regarding the $50bn pledged by the Chinese government to support Africa, Tinubu noted that the continent’s infrastructural needs would require more commitment, urging a review of the amount to reflect the continent’s reality.

“I am happy you are part of China’s highest decision-making body. We will want you to use your position to influence improved project funding. First, I say yes to the $50bn support, and thank you for contributing to African growth.

“The infrastructural needs of Africa are greater than that, and we want to move as rapidly as our other counterparts,” he stated.

Tinubu called on China to support Nigeria’s bid for a permanent United Nations Security Council seat.

“You are a member of the UN Security Council. We want you to use your influence to ensure Nigeria secures the seat,” the President said.

He thanked President Xi Jinping for his warm reception during his visit to China last year.

On his part, Wang said Beijing would support an African country in the UN Security Council, adding that “it was a historical injustice by the world that should be corrected.”

The foreign minister said China would welcome Nigeria’s membership of BRICS and participation in the global development mechanism. He said China fully supported Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director General of the World Trade Organisation, for a second term in office.

Addressing journalists, Wang further noted that China would always vote to support Africa’s legitimate concerns at the United Nations Security Council.

“At the United Nations Security Council, China’s vote will always go to Africa, and we will continue to speak up for the legitimate voice of African countries in the multilateral arena. As the second largest contributor to peacekeeping operations, China will continue to support the United Nations in carrying out peacekeeping operations in Africa.

“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 CN¥360bn of funding support announced at the summit.

“Through deepening cooperation in various areas, we will work with Africa to address soil insecurity and achieve long-term stability through development,” he added.

Wang highlighted Nigeria’s influential role in Africa, particularly as the chair of ECOWAS and a key player in maintaining peace and stability in West Africa and the Sahel region.

Therefore, “China supports Nigeria in rallying countries in the region to achieve strength through unity, to build synergy through reconciliation, and to promote security through cooperation, in order to achieve peace and stability in the region, and China, would like to make its contribution to the best of its ability to that end,” Wang said.

He reaffirmed the momentum in bilateral financial ties, inviting Nigeria to explore issuing Panda bonds in China’s markets while expressing confidence in Nigeria’s economic stability.

Panda bonds are renminbi-denominated bonds issued by foreign entities in China’s domestic bond market.

By issuing these bonds, foreign governments, financial institutions or corporations can raise capital in mainland China, giving them direct access to China’s liquidity and investor base.

For the issuing entity, Panda bonds can help diversify funding sources and hedge against exchange rate risks. At the same time, Chinese investors benefit from broader investment opportunities in RMB without dealing with cross-border currency conversions.

Wang reasoned that by tapping into these bonds, Nigeria stood to gain an additional stream of revenue that would support key infrastructure endeavours such as railway modernisation, with safety ensured through targeted financial backing.

He noted, “The currency swap agreement shows how well we have carried out our financial cooperation and sustained its momentum. Regarding Nigeria’s wish to increase the line of the currency swap, we will favourably study and consider the issue.

“Our cooperation is going well in many ways in terms of finance. For instance, we welcome the Panda bonds to be issued. We welcome Nigeria to issue Panda bonds in China because we have complete confidence in Nigeria’s credibility.

“By issuing Panda bonds, Nigeria will gain good revenue and safety is guaranteed through financial support; we are working to contribute to Nigeria’s infrastructure development, particularly the railway.”

Furthermore, he lauded Chinese banks for their recent financial contribution to Phase III of Nigeria’s railway modernisation project, noting it as a tangible example of ongoing cooperation.

He also encouraged interested parties to consult the Chinese Embassy for a comprehensive list of joint initiatives.

Underscoring the breadth and depth of economic collaboration, Wang expressed eagerness for even closer ties, positioning the currency swap arrangement as a central pillar in the growing partnership between China and Nigeria.

“Just a few days ago, Chinese banks supported, through financial funds, the building of phase three of the railway modernisation project, and it has been delivered.