President Bola Tinubu has appointed Mogaji Joseph Tegbe as the Director-General and global liaison for the Nigeria-China strategic partnership.
This appointment follows agreements made during Tinubu’s visit to China in early September 2024.
Mogaji Tegbe, a first-class Civil Engineering graduate from Obafemi Awolowo University (1988), will report directly to the President.
The appointment was announced in a State House release by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Sunday.
The statement highlighted that Tegbe, a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, will “immediately submit a strategic action plan to enable Nigeria to benefit from the agreements made in Beijing.”
“As the leader of the strategic partnership, Tegbe will oversee day-to-day operations, engage continuously with Chinese counterparts, and ensure all deliverables align with national development goals.
His strategic plan will outline specific deliverables, timelines, and key performance indicators for each area of cooperation, including priority projects, projected investments, and expected socioeconomic outcomes.”
At the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), President Xi Jinping pledged 360 billion yuan (approximately $51 billion) in new financing for African nations over the next three years.
He also committed to supporting 30 infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing connectivity across the continent and creating one million jobs.
The statement further noted that during his official visit before FOCAC, President Tinubu secured a commitment from President Xi to support Nigeria’s economic diversification, infrastructure development, technology transfer, and job creation.
Agreements include collaboration on expanding Nigeria’s rail network, upgrading power distribution, and creating new industrial parks.
Additionally, the two countries agreed to establish hospital alliances, collaborate on medical research, and deploy Chinese healthcare professionals to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.
In education, the partnership will focus on vocational training, STEM education, and academic exchanges, with initiatives to establish engineering technology academies and provide scholarships for Nigerian youth to acquire modern workforce skills.
Furthermore, the partnership aims to enhance Nigeria’s agricultural practices through knowledge sharing, technology transfer, and investment in sustainable farming techniques.
Tegbe, 58, brings nearly 35 years of experience in business strategy. He was the Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG in Africa, with responsibilities extending to the Middle East. He also led subnational governments, including Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, Benue, and Bayelsa, on investment missions to countries such as South Africa, Denmark, China, India, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.
