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Investment in Nigeria: Details of meeting between Tinubu, Chinese executives emerge
President Bola Tinubu has told Chinese executives that Nigeria is a safe investment hub.
Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, disclosed this in a statement on Friday after a delegation led by the Chairman of the China Railway Construction Corporation, CRCC, Mr. Dai Hegen, paid him a visit in State House, Abuja.
President Tinubu assured the Chinese business executives that their investments in Nigeria are safe and that his government will further strengthen the business environment.
The president noted that his administration welcomes the opportunity to expand business collaboration with the company and upgrade critical infrastructure and facilities for the mutual benefit of both parties.
“I have listened to you carefully. Your operation is consistent with our objectives. We are reforming the economy and taking crucial actions to ensure accelerated growth. The CRCC, with its subsidiary, CCECC, is a leading company and one of the best partners to work with. I am happy that you are partnering with Nigeria in many areas, particularly rail construction.
“We will do everything required to ensure that the rail link between the Ibadan end of the Lagos-Ibadan railway and the Federal Capital Territory is completed. We must connect the hinterland with our coastal seaports.
“I am proud of what I started as Governor of Lagos State with the Lekki Free Trade Zone. It is now a flourishing environment. It is important to assure you that we will do well to strengthen our partnership and relations,” President Tinubu said.
He urged the corporation to explore other avenues of cooperation, especially in solid minerals, adding: “The door is open for partnership, and partnership that will add value to both sides. Solid mineral development is the next frontier for mutually beneficial growth and collaboration.
“We need each other. The sustainable path to success is a two-way street. We assure you that your investment is safe in our country. Once you succeed here, I know your reputation in other countries will be further strengthened,” the President said.
In his remarks, the China Railway Construction Corporation chairman highlighted some of the projects in the works and those completed by the corporation.
“In the railway construction sector, the Kano-Kaduna Railway is 39 per cent completed and on course for completion in the second quarter of 2026.
The Abuja-Kaduna Railway and Lagos-Ibadan Railway have carried approximately 9 million passengers since they were completed and commissioned.
Freight services have officially commenced along the Lagos-Ibadan axis since September 2023, and a total of 180,000 tons of cargo has been transported,” he said.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
US President-elect, Donald Trump’s incoming administration plans to immediately order a series of deportation raids targeting illegal immigrants after his inauguration.
Chicago is expected to be the first major city targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents as part of Operation Safeguard, the New York Times reported, citing two people familiar with planning the undertaking.
The massive deportation operation is expected to target criminals and gang members in the United States illegally and run for one week.
Trump has promised to conduct the largest deportation program in U.S. history.
Up to 200 ICE agents are being sent to Chicago to help kick off the operation on Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported. The agency has already asked agents to volunteer for the post-inauguration raids.
“There’s gonna be a big raid across the country,” Tom Homan, who will be in charge of U.S. borders once Trump takes office, told Fox News in an interview.
Homan has previously said he will instruct ICE agents to carry out raids on illegal immigrants at their workplaces.
In addition to Chicago, the sweeping crackdown will also target other major U.S. cities with large immigrant populations.
Trump is set to take the oath of office on Monday, January 20, in an inauguration that will take place indoors.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A faith-based civil society organization, CSO that monitors and reports on Hajj and Umrah activities, the Independent Hajj Reporters, IHR, has commended the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, for selecting a different Saudi-based Hajj service provider for the 2025 Hajj season.
It said the decision would create healthy competition among service providers interested in efficiently, qualitatively, and satisfactorily serving Nigerian pilgrims.
The CSO, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Muhammed, in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and made available to our correspondent on Sunday in Abuja, said the quest for improved Hajj services has been a major challenge for Nigerian pilgrims owing to the repeated failure of providing satisfactory services.
”We applauded the decision to pick another service provider that will cater for the needs of pilgrims within the Masha’ir areas during the five days of Hajj,” he said
The national coordinator, who is currently in Saudi Arabia to monitor the pre-Hajj arrangements, said available information shows that the new company, Mashariq Al Dhahabia, is an experienced provider that has served top-rated Hajj countries, like Indonesia and Malaysia, and ranked among the top five Hajj service providers by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
“The company served 249 706 which is the largest number of Hajj pilgrims during the 2023 hajj. They were awarded as the Best Hajj Service Providers during the 2022 Hajj by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah,” he stated.
IHR said it further understood that NAHCON is planning to recruit another service provider to provide services for very important personalities, VIP pilgrims so as not to repeat the experience of previous years, which is also a desired step forward.
It, however, urged NAHCON to set a parameter of performance for the newly selected service providers to serve as a baseline for determining continuous patronage, advising that such criteria should be based on pilgrims’ satisfaction and adherence to contractual terms.
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