President Bola Tinubu has appointed Mr. Joseph Tegbe as the Director-General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership, following agreements reached during Tinubu’s official visit to China in September 2024.
The appointment was announced in a statement issued on Sunday by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy.
According to the release, Tegbe will report directly to President Tinubu and is tasked with overseeing the implementation of the partnership’s agreements.
The statement highlighted that Tegbe, a first-class graduate of Civil Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University (1988) and a fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, will submit a “strategic action plan” to ensure Nigeria maximizes the benefits from its agreements with China.
“As the leader of the strategic partnership, he will oversee day-to-day operations, engage continuously with Chinese counterparts, and ensure all deliverables are aligned with national development goals,” the statement read.
Tegbe is expected to outline key deliverables, timelines, and performance metrics across various areas of cooperation, including infrastructure projects, projected investments, and socioeconomic impacts.
His role will focus on executing priority initiatives such as the expansion of Nigeria’s rail network, upgrading power distribution systems, and establishing new industrial parks.
President Xi Jinping, during the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, committed 360 billion yuan (approximately $51 billion) in new financing for African countries over the next three years. President Tinubu secured part of this pledge, along with promises to support Nigeria’s economic diversification, infrastructure development, and technology transfer.
The partnership between Nigeria and China will also extend to healthcare, with plans to establish hospital alliances, collaborate on medical research, and deploy Chinese healthcare professionals to improve Nigeria’s health sector.
Additionally, both countries agreed to work together on educational initiatives, including vocational training, STEM education, and academic exchanges.
In agriculture, the agreement aims to enhance Nigerian farming practices through technology transfer and sustainable farming investments.
Tegbe, 58, brings nearly 35 years of experience in business strategy to his new role. He was previously a Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa, where he oversaw major investment missions for state governments, including Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, and Benue, to countries such as South Africa, China, and India.
