China's President Xi Jinping agrees to consider financing Mambilla Plateau power plant

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has secured the backing of Chinese premier Xi Jinping to build a 3,050 MW hydroelectric power plant on the Mambilla Plateau in Adamawa State in a bid to solve Nigeria's chronic electricity supply problem.

Since the return to democracy in 1999, Nigeria has grappled unsuccessfully with the chronic problem in erratic power supply as the nation only generates about 7,000MW but needs at least double that. Successive governments have tried to address the problem with the Obasanjo regime spending $16bn on the Mambilla plant but up till date, it is yet to get off the ground.

This week, President Buhari has been in Beijing for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (Focac), where he met with President Jinping, who has agreed to back the Mambilla project. According to presidential spokesman Mallam Garba Shehu, the two countries also signed agreement on the sum of $328m for the Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure Backbone Phase II project at the summit.

He added that President Buhari said the Mambilla project remained a key priority for Nigeria even as he sought the support of the Chinese government for four airport terminals as well as the Abuja light rail project. Apparently, President Jinping has agreed to look at the Mambilla project and consider ways of funding it.

President Buhari said: “In the past 24 months, the Chinese government has provided humanitarian aid to our conflict-affected areas, scholarship to Nigerian youths, military training and security support to our personnel and agricultural modernisation training. Mr President, as we celebrate these successes, I would like to once again solicit your support for the Mambilla hydropower project, which remains a key priority for my government.

"Our hope is to fund the project with concessionary loans from China as an alternative funding arrangement will adversely impact the project’s viability. We have been informed that our submission on this project is undergoing assessment by the relevant Chinese agencies and we hope with your kind intervention, this assessment will be expedited.

"Your Excellency, Mambilla is Nigeria’s equivalent of the three gorges dam and my wish is that you join me for the groundbreaking ceremony of this project in the not too distant future. The inclusion of this project in the Focac Action Plan 2019 to 2021 will go a long way in supporting our efforts to rehabilitate and resettle the conflict-impacted northeast region.

"We must continue to support such exchange programmes to enhance our people-to-people contacts as easy movement of citizens of both countries would complement the currency swap agreements recently signed by the central banks of both countries. Since our last meeting two years ago, Nigeria has relaxed its visa requirements to Chinese citizens and today, I am pleased to inform Your Excellency that Chinese citizens receive Nigerian visas in less than 48 hours.

‘‘Another measure that will improve our trade volumes will be to introduce import duty waivers on Nigeria’s commodity exports to China. Today, our commodities such as sesame seeds, hibiscus and cassava amongst others attract import duty in China.”

In his remarks, President Jinping, who commended Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and the progress that has been made so far, promised China’s support in capacity building and intelligence sharing. He also pledged 50m Chinese Yuan support to Nigeria’s military, noting that President Buhari is as decisive in dealing with terrorism as China.

President Jinping said China would import more agricultural products from Nigeria and expressed gratitude to President Buhari on his interest in participating in the forthcoming Chinese Import Fair. He added: "The relationship between Nigeria and China is as best as ever, especially given the deepening mutual trust.

"China will continue to stand with Nigeria. We understand how critical the Mambilla project is to your country and we will take a serious look at it and ensure that it succeeds because of its social and economic benefits."