Nigeria's Tinubu to visit China seeking economic cooperation

By Felix Onuah

LAGOS (Reuters) - Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a visit to China next week to discuss cooperation on the economy, agriculture and satellite technology, a Nigerian government spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Tinubu, who has set in motion deep reforms in Africa's largest economy, will be in Beijing along with other African leaders to attend the China-Africa Cooperation Summit.

"This is going to be part of a broader engagement where the two heads of state will discuss matters of mutual interest across not just the economy, but also on issues of national, regional, and international security," the spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, said.

Africa is a focus of China's flagship economic cooperation programme.

Tinubu's agenda in China will include site visits to two major Chinese companies: Huawei Technologies and the China Rail and Construction Corporation, as Nigeria looks to complete a high-speed rail line linking Ibadan in southwest Nigeria to the capital in Abuja. Tinubu will also meet with 10 CEOs of major Chinese companies across information and communications technology, oil and gas, aluminium production, seaport and harbour construction, financial services and satellite technology development.

Nigeria is seeking investment to boost its economy, which is battling double-digit inflation, foreign currency shortages and issues such as crude oil theft.

(Writing by Isaac Anyaogu; Editing by Susan Fenton)