China Donates $1mn to Support Nigeria’s Flood Relief Efforts
By Patience Ikpeme
The government of China has provided Nigeria with $1 million in financial assistance to help communities affected by recent floods in the northern part of the country.
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, announced the donation at a signing ceremony in Abuja on Wednesday, describing it as an act of friendship and solidarity.
The financial aid is targeted at states that have been most severely affected, including Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Borno, Taraba, and Adamawa. The Minister said the assistance will support the government’s ongoing efforts to provide relief materials and help rebuild the lives of those impacted by the disaster.
Bagudu said the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning will work with other government agencies to ensure a transparent and effective implementation of the project. “A transparent framework, leveraging past experiences and unified templates, will guide the process to ensure that the assistance reaches the intended beneficiaries in the most efficient and impactful manner,” he said.
He also welcomed a joint monitoring and evaluation mechanism that has been agreed upon with the Chinese Embassy, stating that this will ensure transparency and accountability and strengthen the partnership in humanitarian and development cooperation.
The Minister noted that the humanitarian support not only demonstrates China’s goodwill but also serves as a testament to the growing cooperation between the two nations in areas such as trade, infrastructure, technology, and agriculture.
“It is our firm belief that today’s signing ceremony will open new windows of collaboration that will deepen our strategic partnership for the mutual benefit of our people,” he said.
Bagudu assured the Chinese delegation that the Nigerian government is dedicated to working closely with the Embassy of China to ensure the project’s successful implementation. “We look forward to further consolidating our friendship through initiatives that promote prosperity, resilience, and sustainable development,” he said.
Speaking at the event, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Yu Dunhai, expressed China’s empathy and solidarity with Nigeria. He recalled that both countries recently faced the destructive impact of flooding, noting that China also suffered losses in July, with several lives lost in Beijing’s suburbs.
“We would like to express our deepest condolences to those who lost their lives and also convey our support,” he said. “In times of difficulty, China and Nigeria always stand together.”
The Ambassador said the grant demonstrates China’s confidence in Nigeria’s capacity to recover and rebuild. “We are very confident that, under the strong leadership of the Federal Government and with the dedication and effort of all the people, Nigeria will overcome this hardship and rebuild its homes in the near future,” Dunhai stated.
He also noted that the broader relationship between the two countries continues to strengthen, citing a recent announcement by President Xi Jinping of zero-tariff treatment on 400% of tariff lines for African countries. This, he said, will boost Nigeria’s exports to China, create more jobs, and support economic development.
