Nigeria advocates for inclusion in China’s Africa solar belt program
By Kunle Sanni
The Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, Ajuri Ngelale, has called for the inclusion of African countries, particularly Nigeria, in China’s ambitious Africa Solar Belt program.
During a bilateral meeting with China’s Ecology Minister, Zhao Yingmin, on Thursday, Ngelale emphasized that the initiative would be incomplete without incorporating supply chain diversification into developing markets, particularly Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy.
Ngelale highlighted Nigeria’s potential critical role in the program’s success, advocating for stronger collaboration to ensure comprehensive and sustainable development.
“I emphasized that China’s new Africa Solar Belt program will be incomplete if it does not include supply chain diversification into developing markets, especially Africa’s largest market,” Ngelale stated.
According to reports, the Chinese delegation received his proposal favorably, and further discussions on the matter are anticipated soon.
Ngelale stressed the importance of ensuring that Nigerian workers benefit widely from the energy transformation during the discussions.
Other areas of cooperation discussed at the meeting included technical collaboration in efforts to counter desertification and reforest, especially in the sensitive Lake Chad region.
