Japanese PM pledges $412,740 for Nigeria’s defence college, healthcare

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged to support the Nigerian government with $412,740 for Nigeria’s Defence College and the country’s public healthcare sector.

Abe promised the grants after Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari sought the Japanese government’s help in combating piracy and illegal fishing in the Gulf of Guinea during a bilateral meeting between the Nigerian delegation and Japanese officials on the margins of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) in Yokohama, Japan.

Buhari, who commended Abe for the invitation extended to attend the triennial forum, commended the Japanese government for attending the pioneer celebration of June 12 as Democracy Day in Nigeria.

Commending the Buhari administration for taking ‘Nigeria to the Next Level’, Abe pledged a $300,000 support for Nigeria’s Defence College as well as 12 million Yen for the country’s public health sector.

He also pledged his country’s support for Nigeria’s Presidency of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, while seeking Nigeria’s support for Japan’s bid to occupy some global positions.

Buhari departed Nigeria on Sunday, August 25 to participate in the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) which held in the City of Yokohama from August 28 to August 30.

Buhari  delivered Nigeria’s statement during Plenary Session in which he will appraise Nigeria-Japan relations and takeaways from TICAD6.

“In addition to a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Abe, the Nigerian president will also attend some side-events and meet chief executive officers of some Japanese companies with huge investments in Nigeria,” Adesina said in a statement.

Buhari’s participation was his second, having attended TICAD6 in Nairobi, Kenya, in August 2016.

Participants of the conference were not just from African countries, but also from international organisations, private companies and civil society organisations involved in development.