Nigeria, Japan sign agreement on economic, social development aid projects

21 Novembre 2017

Abuja, Nigeria, November  21 (Infosplusgabon) - Nigeria and Japan on Tuesday signed a grant aid project on economic and social development worth N642 million ($1=N305). The amount would be provided by the Government of Japan.

Nigeria’s Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, signed on behalf of the Federal Government while Japan’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Sadanobu Kusaoke, signed on behalf of his country.

The programme aims at exploring development strategies that will enhance competitiveness and support Nigeria’s poverty reduction efforts.

It also seeks to improve standard of living and ensure environmental sustainability, which is in line with the development priorities of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) [2017–2020] of the Buhari administration.

Senator Udoma said Nigeria is indeed grateful to the Government of Japan for its numerous interventions in various sectors of the country’s economy in support of its development aspirations, and particularly for aligning its intervention programmes with the ERGP.

He cited the signing, last year, of an Exchange of Note (E/N) with the Government of Japan on Emergency Improvement of Electricity Supply Facilities in Abuja and commended the role Japan played in the development of the National Power Development Master-plan designed to guide government on the optimal energy mix and efficiency for the country.

The minister also thanked the Japanese Government for various technical assistance programmes offered in a wide range of skill-areas and the implementation of other grant projects nationwide through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The Japanese Ambassador said though his government has been extending aid to Nigeria in different fields over the years, it considered the grant aid in health and agriculture particularly important because advanced pharmaceutical research and improved agricultural production have direct, positive impact on the quality of life and on inclusiveness of growth.

In view of the demographic and social challenges facing Nigeria, he said Japan considered that the ERGP and the Budget and National Planning minister have rightly put the agricultural sector among the top agenda.

“Echoing this thinking of our colleagues in Nigeria, Japan is working together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for the efficient post-harvest processing of rice crop and improvement of its quality. I believe this processing method, when adopted widely in this country, could have huge multiple impacts on job-creation and food security," said Ambassador Kusaoke.

He also confirmed that in line with the Nairobi Declaration at TICAD VI last year, the Japanese Government is providing US$1.75 million for necessary equipment to the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/PLM/ GABON 2017

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