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Tinubu engages Xi Jinping in Bilateral deals, signs MOUs on Media, Nuclear Energy, others
On Tuesday in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria discussed strategies to enhance bilateral relations for the benefit of their citizens. Both leaders agreed to establish a high-level collaborative community between Nigeria and China, aimed at a shared future.
This discussion followed President Tinubu’s official visit to China, which precedes his participation in the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation from September 4-6, 2024.
During the visit, President Tinubu emphasized the significance of the trip for Nigeria and Africa, highlighting his role as Chairman of ECOWAS. He expressed gratitude for the warm reception and stressed the importance of strengthening the longstanding relationship between China and Nigeria to boost trade and economic development.
Tinubu highlighted Nigeria’s potential, noting its large population and strong economy, and described the relationship as evolving into a comprehensive developmental partnership. He underscored the need for robust development, stability, and security in West Africa.
Regarding economic reforms, President Tinubu affirmed his administration’s commitment to sustainable growth through effective reform implementation. He drew parallels between Nigeria’s reform efforts and China’s successful economic reforms, emphasizing a focus on improving tax, tariff, and other economic segments to facilitate trade and investment.
In response, President Xi praised the deep mutual understanding that has developed between the two countries over the past 50 years. He noted the importance of strategic coordination and cooperation between China and Nigeria to energize China-Africa relations and promote progress among Global South countries.
President Xi highlighted the 2024 FOCAC Summit as a key moment for reflecting on and strengthening China-Africa ties. He committed to continued close collaboration within the FOCAC framework as a model of international cooperation.
During the meeting, several Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) were signed, covering various areas of mutual interest, including:
- A cooperation plan for jointly promoting the Belt and Road Initiative
- An agreement on the peaceful application of nuclear energy
- An MOU on strengthening cooperation in human resource development under the Global Development Initiative
- An MOU on media exchange and cooperation, including one between China Media Group and the Nigerian Television Authority
Dangote Refinery has announced that it will need to export 95-97 percent of its Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) due to low interest from Nigerian marketers. The refinery, which processes 650,000 barrels per day, revealed that only 3 to 5 percent of petrol marketers are purchasing its fuel.
Devakumar Edwin, Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, shared these details during an X Space session hosted by Nairametrics on Wednesday. He highlighted the challenges facing both the Dangote Refinery and Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Edwin explained, “I’m selling 2 to 3 percent to small traders who are willing to buy, while the remaining 95 to 97 percent has to be exported,” referring to the local sales of the refinery’s products.
This situation arises as the NNPCL’s deadline for adjusting the Dangote Refinery’s fuel distribution approaches without a clear plan in sight. It is worth noting that while Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, has announced the refinery’s initial petrol rollout, its distribution to marketers is contingent upon NNPCL’s decisions.
The final sixteen teams for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia have been determined following the conclusion of the group stage.
In recent matches, Ghana triumphed over New Zealand with a score of 3-1, and Japan secured a 2-0 victory against Austria.
As a result, Japan has advanced to the Round of 16, joining the other 15 teams in this knockout stage.
The Round of 16 matches are scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
The full lineup for the Round of 16 is as follows:
- Spain vs Canada
- Brazil vs Cameroon
- Colombia vs South Korea
- Mexico vs USA
- North Korea vs Austria
- Germany vs Argentina
- Netherlands vs France
- Japan vs Nigeria
The Nigerian Army has refuted claims of widespread resignations among its soldiers due to issues like corruption and low morale.
In a statement, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, dismissed these reports as unfounded.
A news outlet had alleged that numerous Nigerian soldiers were resigning because of corruption and low morale. However, the statement condemned these allegations as misleading and a deliberate attempt to create discontent and undermine the Nigerian Army’s reputation and the dedication of its personnel.
Major General Nwachukwu clarified that, similar to other military organizations worldwide, service in the Nigerian Army is voluntary rather than mandatory. This means that personnel have the freedom to resign following established procedures.
He explained that the resignation process allows personnel to prepare and manage their entitlements, including pensions and gratuities, as outlined in the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service (Officers/Soldiers).
Contrary to the report’s implications, the statement emphasized that Nigerian Army personnel are highly motivated, and their welfare is a priority under the leadership of Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.
We’ll be forced to export 97% of our petrol – Dangote Refinery warns
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