President Bola Tinubu has appointed Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as the Director-General and global liaison for the Nigeria-China strategic partnership reached by the two countries during the president’s visit in early September.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, September 29, 2024.

Onanuga noted that Tegbe, a 1988 first-class graduate in civil engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, will report directly to Tinubu.

He said 58-year-old Tegbe will immediately submit a strategic action plan to enable Nigeria to benefit from the agreements between the two countries in Beijing.

The presidential spokesman added that Tegbe, as the czar of the strategic partnership, will lead day-to-day operations, engage continuously with the Chinese counterparts, and ensure that all deliverables are met and synchronised with national development goals.

“In the strategic plan, he will outline the specific deliverables, timelines, and key performance indicators for each area of cooperation. This will include priority projects, projected investments and expected socioeconomic outcomes,” Onanuga stated.

It would be recalled that Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), pledged 360 billion yuan (about $50 billion) in new financing to African nations in the next three years.

Tinubu: I’ll replicate China’s infrastructure in Nigeria

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

During his official visit before the FOCAC, President Tinubu also obtained a commitment from President Xi to support Nigeria’s economic diversification plans, infrastructure development, technology transfer, and job creation.

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

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

After his education at Federal Government College in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, and Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), he had about 35 years of experience in business strategy.

Tegbe was the senior partner and head of advisory services at KPMG in Africa, with a portfolio and responsibilities that included the Middle East.

Tegbe has led subnational governments, including Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, Benue, and Bayelsa States, in investment drives to South Africa, Denmark, China, India, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Star