Nigeria To Strengthen Trade And Cooperation With Japan In Key Sectors: Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima said that Nigeria will work to strengthen its relationship with Japan to boost trade and explore more opportunities in areas like infrastructure, food security and health.

Speaking during a visit from a Japanese government delegation led by the outgoing Ambassador to Nigeria and the President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) at the State House in Abuja, Shettima assured the Japanese government of better cooperation with the Nigerian government.

The vice president also committed to resolve any issues in their bilateral relations.

"All the grey areas will be addressed. Luckily, the CBN Governor is here, and two of the major beneficiary ministries are represented at the highest level. Be rest assured that in a couple of days, we are going to resolve all the grey areas and put our relationship on a new pedestal," he said, as per the official X handle (formerly known as Twitter).

Shettima praised Ambassador Kazuyoshi for his excellent work in building the relationship between Nigeria and Japan.

He pointed out that the presence of important officials in President Bola Tinubu's administration, including two ministers and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, shows how much Nigeria values its relationship with the JICA.

The vice president also thanked JICA for its dedication to strengthening ties between both countries through its support in important areas of the economy.

He expressed gratitude to JICA's President Tanaka Akihiko for the company's donation of a grant of ¥1.75 billion to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to help improve the Centre's diagnostic capabilities.

"We are immensely grateful for JICA's continuous commitment; words cannot adequately convey our depth of gratitude," Shettima said.

He added, "We share in your vision of making Nigeria a hub for disease control in West Africa and, by extension, you can make it a hub for the whole of Africa because one in every four black men is a Nigerian. So, we implore you to further enhance the cooperation between our two nations. You are a silent giant. You don't make too much noise."

JICA President also spoke during the meeting and expressed his sympathy for Nigeria regarding the recent floods that caused damage and loss of life, particularly in Maiduguri, Borno State. He mentioned that his sympathy is especially meaningful because Japan has also faced natural disasters.

He thanked Nigeria and its people for their understanding and support, which has allowed JICA to be involved in development projects in the country. He acknowledged the outgoing Ambassador for his efforts in maintaining and improving the relationship between Nigeria and Japan.

Akihiko also mentioned his visit to the Nigeria Information Technology Centre, where he met with Nigerian engineers and entrepreneurs. He was impressed by their creativity and skills, noting that this collaboration has laid the groundwork for working with JICA.