President Bola Tinubu has appointed Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as the Director-General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China strategic partnership.
This move comes in light of recent commitments made by both nations to collaborate on establishing hospital alliances and advancing medical research.
The announcement was made by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga on Sunday.
Tegbe, who graduated with first-class honors in civil engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University in 1988, will report directly to the President. He is a fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.
In his new role, Tegbe is tasked with submitting a strategic action plan to maximize Nigeria’s benefits from the agreements established with China. As the leader of this strategic partnership, he will oversee daily operations, engage with Chinese counterparts, and ensure that all objectives align with Nigeria’s development goals.
The strategic plan will detail specific deliverables, timelines, and key performance indicators across various cooperative areas, including priority projects and projected investments aimed at generating socioeconomic benefits.
Notably, during the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), President Xi Jinping pledged approximately $51 billion in new financing for African countries over the next three years.
Prior to the forum, President Tinubu secured commitments from Xi to support Nigeria’s economic diversification, infrastructure development, technology transfer, and job creation initiatives.
