Nigeria and China have concluded plans to sign 328 million dollars agreement on the National Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure Backbone Phase 11 (NICTIB 11).
The agreement is one of the highlights of the major investment issues President Muhammadu Buhari, would join his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, to finalise as he arrived Beinjing, China on Saturday.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who gave this hint in a statement issued on the President’s visit, indicated that the NICTIB 11 agreement would be between Galaxy Backbone Limited and Huawei Technologies Limited (HUAWEI) at the cost of $328 million provided by the Chinese EXIM Bank.
Shehu stated that the development of NICTIB 11 project is consistent with the current administration’s commitment to incorporating the development of ICT into national strategic planning under the National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).
This is even as he disclosed that President Buhari and his Chinese host will also witness the signing of the MoU on One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR).
It would be recalled that in 2013, the Chinese leader mooted the idea of building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, with a view to integrating the development strategies of partnering countries.
The Presidential aide stated: “During the High-Level Dialogue between Chinese and African Leaders, and Business representatives on the margins of FOCAC, the Nigerian delegation is also expected to sign no fewer than 25 MoUs.
“These include those proposed by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA)’’, he added.
Earlier, when President Buhari arrived the Capital International Airport, Beijing, he was received by top Chinese government officials, including the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Zhou Pingjian.
Also at the airport to receive the President were Nigeria’s Ambassador to China, Baba Ahmed Jidda, his wife, Zahra; the Deputy Chief of Mission, Amb. Bakori Aliyu Bakori and other senior staff of the Nigerian Embassy, including the Defence Attaché, Brig-Gen. Temitope Ademola.
