In a recent interview, Vice President Kashim Shettima articulated Nigeria’s strong commitment to enhancing its relationship with Japan. He believes that deepening this cooperation will pave the way for increased trade and open opportunities in vital sectors like infrastructure development, food security, and healthcare.
These comments were made during a meeting on Wednesday with a delegation from the Japanese government, which included the outgoing Ambassador Matsunaga Kazuyoshi and the President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Dr. Tanaka Akihiko. The meeting was held at the State House in Abuja.
“We will address all existing issues in our bilateral relations,” Shettima reassured the Japanese representatives. He emphasized that with the involvement of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and senior officials from two key ministries, they are set to tackle concerns within days, which could elevate the partnership to new heights.
Shettima commended Ambassador Kazuyoshi for his outstanding efforts in strengthening the ties between Nigeria and Japan. He noted that the presence of key figures from President Bola Tinubu’s administration demonstrates Nigeria’s commitment to its collaboration with JICA.
The Vice President expressed gratitude to JICA for its ongoing support in critical areas of Nigeria’s economy, specifically thanking Dr. Tanaka for a substantial grant of ¥1.75 billion aimed at enhancing the diagnostic capabilities of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). “We are immensely grateful for JICA’s continuous commitment,” he remarked, highlighting how JICA’s initiatives align with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He also recognized JICA’s pivotal role in Nigeria achieving polio-free status in 2020 and shared a vision of positioning Nigeria as a hub for disease control in West Africa and potentially across the continent.
Shettima offered well-wishes to Ambassador Kazuyoshi for his future endeavors in his next role. During the meeting, Dr. Akihiko expressed condolences for the recent floods in Nigeria that affected many communities, particularly in Maiduguri, Borno State, and appreciated Nigeria’s openness to JICA’s participation in development projects.
Dr. Akihiko also noted the remarkable creativity and innovation of Nigerian engineers and entrepreneurs he witnessed during his visit to the Nigeria Information Technology Centre, seeing it as a promising foundation for future collaboration.
Moreover, Ambassador Kazuyoshi announced that the Japanese government will host an International Conference on African Development in Tokyo next year, emphasizing the importance of the partnership with Nigeria and a desire to strengthen bilateral ties even further.
In addition, Dr. Kinsley Uzoma, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusiness and Productivity Enhancement, highlighted JICA’s contributions to food security in Nigeria and discussed key projects such as the rehabilitation of the Lagos transmission substation, which aims to ensure a reliable power supply to Apapa Wharf and modernize the Nigerian port system.
