Abuja, FCT - China’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, has called for deeper bilateral cooperation in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, including the establishment of electric vehicle (EV) factories in the country.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the minister of solid minerals development, Dr. Dele Alake, in Abuja over the weekend, the ambassador underscored Nigeria’s strategic importance to China’s foreign policy and economic cooperation goals.

He said Nigeria is a great country with immense natural resources, adding that China places the country at the core of its Africa policy.

This was disclosed in a statement sent to Legit.ng on Sunday, May 18, by the minister's spokesman, Segun Tomori.

The envoy referenced the recent high-level talks between Presidents Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Xi Jinping during Tinubu’s state visit to China, noting that both leaders agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

He said this development would pave the way for expanded collaboration, particularly in sectors such as mining and clean energy.

“Chinese companies are already deeply involved in Nigeria’s mining sector, from exploration to processing. We aim to deepen this collaboration, especially in line with President Tinubu’s eight priority areas, notably economic diversification through solid minerals,” he added.

Dunhai reiterated that the Chinese government maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward illegal mining and regularly instructs Chinese firms in Nigeria to comply with local laws, adhere to environmental standards, and implement corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

He said China is committed to working with Nigerian authorities to address infractions, adding that any companies found violating the law will be dealt with.

In his remarks, Alake acknowledged the contributions of compliant Chinese firms but warned that a few bad actors are damaging the broader relationship.

He cited a recent viral video allegedly showing a Chinese national bribing security personnel as an example of such misconduct.

“We've taken action against illegal operators, including some Chinese nationals. While isolated, such incidents undermine the good work of many compliant Chinese firms. We need your cooperation in ensuring that such culprits are brought to justice,” the minister said.

Alake also highlighted Nigeria’s new focus on local value addition in the mining sector. He noted that the government now discourages the export of raw minerals and prioritises domestic processing to drive industrialisation.

The minister also pointed out Nigeria’s large market and the potential to reduce reliance on fossil fuels through electric vehicle production.

Ambassador Dunhai responded positively, affirming China’s alignment with Nigeria’s goals for industrialisation.

He revealed that concrete plans are already underway to establish electric vehicle factories and other manufacturing ventures in Nigeria.

According to him, this aligns with President Xi Jinping’s focus on supporting African industrial growth.

In another report, Nigeria recently secured a study facility to develop a roadmap for its critical minerals value chain, from extraction to beneficiation, funded by the Global Council for Critical Minerals.

The initiative is one of the key outcomes achieved by the solid minerals development minister, Dr Alake, on the sidelines of the annual Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town, South Africa.

The Global Council for Critical Minerals is a specialised body under Sustainable Energy for All, a United Nations agency tasked with implementing the Agenda for Sustainable Development.

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Source: Legit.ng