Bayelsa State’s drive to grow its economy through foreign investment got another boost at the weekend with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with construction giant, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), at the firm’s headquarters in Beijing.

The MoU covers infrastructure and agricultural and aquaculture projects, as well as mass housing for civil servants and low-income earners in the state.

Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, signed on behalf of the government, while President of CCECC, Chen Sichang, signed for the firm.

According to a statement by the governor’s spokesman, Daniel Alabrah, this new deal comes on the heels of a similar agreement signed on October 14, 2025, in Abuja with Dubai-based Jampur Group for the construction of solar panels and smart electricity meters in the state.

Sichang, who described it as a landmark agreement, said at the ceremony:

“CCECC started its first project in Bayelsa in 2012. We have completed a number of projects over the past 13 years, including the Tombia road, Niger Delta University road, airport access road, Glory Drive Phase 2, and the Yenagoa-Angiama section of the Yenagoa-Oporoma road.

“Notably, the ongoing construction of the 630-metre bridge (between Angiama and Oporoma) is the longest stand-alone bridge ever constructed by CCECC in Nigeria. The fact that such a significant project was awarded to our company is a clear reflection of Your Excellency’s strong confidence in our capabilities. For this, I again express our sincere gratitude and assure that we are fully committed to delivering the project on schedule and to the highest standards.”

He said Bayelsa was one of its most important strategic partners and proposed collaboration on projects that include more community access roads, power, water supply, mechanised agriculture and aquaculture, as well as production of fertiliser to boost agriculture.

“Regarding financing of some of the projects, we will invest in them, while for others we will seek government or credit support. We sincerely look forward to signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the state government to explore cooperation in these areas, and we hope to engage in concrete project partnerships in the near future. We are dedicated to delivering more exemplary China-Africa cooperation projects that support the state’s long-term growth.”

Diri, in his remarks, described CCECC as a development partner, recalling that there were issues bordering on indebtedness to CCECC and some other companies when he assumed office in 2020, but that his administration had cleared the backlog.

He said, “When I assumed office and saw the quality of work done by your company from the time of my predecessor, I decided to continue with you. For us, we see you not only as a construction company but more as a development partner. Today, you have confirmed this.

“Since we overcame the initial challenges, your company has been doing wonderfully in our state. In fact, it is one of the first top companies that partnered with us on the infrastructure development of the state.”

The governor stated that President Bola Tinubu would be invited to inaugurate the Angiama-Oporoma bridge in February next year, during the sixth anniversary of his administration.

He also expressed the determination to provide mass housing within the remaining two years of his tenure.