President Bola Tinubu has appointed Mr Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as the director-general and global liaison officer for the Nigeria-China strategic partnership agreement reached by the two countries during Tinubu’s visit to China early September.

Tegbe, a 1988 first class graduate in civil engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, will report directly to the President.

He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.

He will immediately submit a strategic action plan to enable Nigeria to benefit from the agreements between the two countries in Beijing.

He will also lead the day-to-day operations, engage continuously with the Chinese counterparts and ensure that all deliverables were met and synchronised with national development goals.

At the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), President Xi Jinping pledged 360 billion yuan, or about $51 billion, in new financing to African nations in the next three years.

He also pledged support for 30 infrastructure projects to boost connectivity across the continent and create one million jobs.

Nigeria and China, among others, agreed to collaborate on expanding Nigeria’s rail network, upgrading power distribution, and creating new industrial parks.

MEANWHILE, Vice President Kashim Shettima, yesterday, returned to Abuja from the just concluded 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA.

The Vice President, who represented President Bola Tinubu at the global event, had presented Nigeria’s National Statement at the General Debate, as well as engaged in several bilateral meetings and numerous sideline events at the General Assembly.

Shettima will join President Tinubu to mark some events put together as part of activities commemorating Nigeria’s 64th Independence anniversary.