Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan finalises loan deals in China

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and Chinese President Xi Jingping presided on Wednesday over the signing of accords between their governments to facilitate US$1.1 billion in low-interest loans for much-needed infrastructure in Nigeria.

China, which is increasingly looking to Africa for oil and other natural resources, is offering Nigeria loans to help fund airport terminals in four cities, roads, a light-rail line for its capital, a hydropower plant and oil and gas infrastructure.

Jonathan, on a four-day trip to China, has brought along about a dozen of his Cabinet ministers including those for petroleum resources, trade and transport, as well as several state governors, senior government officials and businesspeople.

Following a meeting between Xi and Jonathan, representatives from both countries signed five deals, including a lending agreement between China’s Import-Export Bank and the Nigerian finance ministry for the expansion of the airport terminals and an economic and technical cooperation pact. Details of the agreements were not immediately available.

Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says the loans being finalised during this trip are part of US$3 billion approved by China at interest rates of less than 3 per cent.

Chinese companies are already building roads across Nigeria in contracts worth US$1.7 billion.