About the interviewee
Sola Onadipe—Ambassador of Federal Republic of Nigeria to China
He has devoted to diplomacy for 33 years, and worked at the embassies in Southeast Asian countries as Malaysia and Singapore, and in the USA as well.
Sola Onadipe was appointed as Ambassador of Nigeria to China and the Deputy Director of the embassy in 2013,.
Background
Form April 23 to 25, a promotion conference of “Sino-Nigeria Cooperation and Common Development—Focus on Nigeria Lekki Free Trade Area” was held in Yichang. It was jointly hosted by the Nigerian Embassy in China, the Yichang Municipal Government, and Nigerian Lekki Free Trade Area Development Cooperation.
Being guided by the strategy of “going to the world”, this grand gathering is an initiative practice made by the Yichang Municipal Government, in order to help local enterprises broaden their foreign trade and economic cooperation. Moreover, a new bridge of Sino-Nigeria friendship will be built through this promotion activity.
On the morning of April 23, Ambassador Sola Onadipe came to Yichang to attend the promotion conference of Lekki Free Trade Area. During his stay in Yichang, he inspected some local enterprises of Yichang, such as Heixuanfeng Saw Company, Ltd. and Angel Yeast Company, Ltd., and enjoyed the magnificent scenery of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River and the Three Gorges Dam.
In the Taohualing Hotel, our reporter interviewed Ambassador Sola Onadipe.
Interview
1.Friendly people, beautiful city and convenient transportation
Reporter: As the capital of hydroelectricity in the world, and the only national-level model city in Hubei Province, Yichang is trying to quicken the pace to build a megacity. Moreover, it enjoys the reputation of “a comfortable and prosperous city”. So, could you tell me that what impressed you most during your visit in Yichang?
Ambassador: This is the first time that I’ve been in Yichang.
I am so happy to visit this beautiful city and meet the friendly people here. I deeply believe that Yichang people, just like the people in the other cities in China, are the most sincere friends of the Nigerian people.
Today, I, together with the other members of our Nigerian delegation, visited Heixuanfeng Saw Company, Ltd. and Angel Yeast Company, Ltd., which left me a deep impression. As an inland city, it is really extraordinary to have such a solid industrial foundation and strength.
Meanwhile, I believe that in the near future, the megacity built by Yichang will be a model city.
Reporter: Yichang is building herself into a tourist city of hydroelectricity with a worldwide reputation. Will you come to visit again?
Ambassador: Being surrounded by the mountains and rivers, Yichang is blessed with a very nice environment. Being neat and clean, Yichang is laid out in a scientific manner, and the transportation is convenient, which is the manifestation of the high-efficient administrative capacity of the municipal government.
In April, 2005, our previous President Olusegun Obasanjo visited Yichang. I have seen the picture of him in the hall of Taohualing Hotel where he lived during his visit.
Today, I live in the same hotel. I feel so honored and pleased.
In addition, I have visited the magnificent Three Gorges and the Three Gorges Dam. I will come back again to spend my vocation with my family.
I hope that this beautiful city will develop well and people here can live a happy life.
2.Build Lekki Free Trade Area into a “Model of Sino-Africa Economic Cooperation”
Reporter: Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa. Could you introduce to our readers the current development situation of Nigeria?
Ambassador: Nigeria is an ancient country in Africa, and has developed culture that could date back to 2000 years ago. Nigeria was also reputed as “the Cradle of Culture of Africa in the South of Sahara” because of the famous Nok Culture, Ife Culture and Benin Culture.
Nigeria has a largest population in Africa, which is about 167 million. According to the World Bank, the consumption ability of Nigerian ranks first among other African countries.
In 2013, the economic scale of Nigeria reached 510 billion dollars, which far outnumbered the economic aggregate of South Africa. At that time, Nigeria became the largest economy in Africa and ranked 26th in the world.
According to the latest data, form 2010 to 2013, the average annual growth rate of GDP in Nigeria was 6.39%. The service industry increased the fastest, with an average annual growth rate of 7.72%, which was followed by the manufacturing industry, with an average annual growth rate of 7.19%.
Reporter: Lekki Free Trade Area will become a window to China in Africa and the city card of Nigeria. Please tell us something about the Lekki Free Trade Area.
Ambassador: Lekki Free Trade Area is also the cooperation area of China and Nigeria. The beautiful Lekki Peninsula is located at the southeast of Lagos—the economic capital of Nigeria, with Atlantic Ocean in its South and Lekki Lagoon in its North. It is a satellite town of Lagos and also one of the emerging districts that develop the fastest.
Lekki Free Zone(LFZ) is an overseas economic and trade cooperation zone which is jointly invested and built by the Sino-Africa Lekki Investment Ltd., Lagos State Government and Lekki Worldwide Investment Ltd. Since it was launched in 2006, it has attracted much attention and won great support from the Chinese and Nigerian government.
In November 2007, the LFA was approved by the Ministry of Commerce of China as the “overseas economic and trade cooperation zone”; in November 2010, it went through the assessment conducted by the Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Finance of China.
The total planning area of the LFZ is 30 square kilometers, and the companies in the free zone can enjoy a series of preferential policies and convenient "one-stop" service granted by the government. Currently, 94 companies have settled down in the free zone and applied for business licenses. The total investment on agreement has reached $ 700 million.
The future LFZ will become the model of the Chinese overseas trade and economic cooperation zones as well as the model of Sino-Africa economic and trade cooperation. In the past, the biggest concern for the Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in Africa was the local security, but now the worries can be completely removed. We expect to have more Chinese companies and Yichang companies to develop in the LFZ.
3. Welcome the Yichang foreign trade companies to develop in Nigeria in groups
Reporter: Last year, the total foreign export value of Yichang firstly rose above $2 billion, of which exports to Nigeria approximately reached $10 million. Mr. Ambassador, in what aspects are you particularly looking forward to having economic and trade cooperation with Yichang?
Ambassador: Currently, the Gezhouba Group Corporation of Yichang has been building eight projects in Nigeria, including the road network construction in Muxin District of Lagos, the accommodation buildings of National Defense University, the BARO port of Niger State, the roads of Benue, the railways repair, the Stadium Road and drains of the Rivers State, the Ogun State School, the No. 29 road of Bayelsa State. I am quite confident about the economic and cultural exchanges between Nigeria and Yichang .
Chinese goods are very popular in Nigeria. In LFZ, we have planned a commerce logistics park with an area of 1.5 square kilometers, which is the key project of the preliminary construction area. In the southwest side of the preliminary construction area, we plan to build the convention center with a total land area of about 80,000 square meters and construction area of about 46,000 square meters.
As the substitution of the convention center under construction, we have built the trade fair center on its west side in the trade and logistics park in advance with a total construction area of 13,000 square meters, which is available for the business meetings and the exhibition of building materials, furniture and electrical equipments.
As far as I know, there are many foreign trade companies in Yichang. We warmly welcome them as well as the Yichang municipal government to visit the zone, and welcome the companies to develop in Nepal in groups. In the near future, we hope to see the exhibitions of Yichang special goods in the zone.
At the Yichang promotion conference, Thompson, the deputy general manager of LFZ Development Company signed a memorandum of cooperation with Yichang Trade Promotion Council, marking the beginning of a new stage of cooperation between the two countries. Also, they have reached an agreement on the plan and organization of the Yichang companies to have exhibition in Nigeria.
In addition, Sino-Africa Lekki Investment Ltd. also signed a letter of intent on investigation with more than ten companies of Yichang. We will strongly support the companies of Yichang to do business and trade activities in Nigeria. Also, we hope that more companies of Yichang can inspect the Nigerian market and then invest and build factories there.
As many of the chosen Chinese agricultural experts who were sent to Nigeria are from Hubei Province especially Yichang City, the Nigerian people will never forget the support and help of the people in Yichang City and Hubei Province. In the future, I wish that both sides could continue strengthening exchanges and cooperation in the field of agricultural technology, health care, and infrastructure.
Reporter: Yichang also actively implements the "going out" strategy, and accelerates the development of export-oriented economy. Mr. Ambassador, what preferential policies does Nigeria currently offer for Chinese investment?
Ambassador: LFZ can turn "Made in China" to "Made in Africa", enabling the Chinese companies to enjoy a variety of international preferential policies that the receiving state does. In this way, the products can be sold even in the global market without the national and continental restrictions.
FTA has been given more preferential policies by the Nigerian federal government. Except for the reciprocal agreements signed between Nigeria and China, LFZ also enjoys the privileges such as exemption form the import quotas and tariff reductions given by America and European countries.
Nigeria is the contracting state of the Lome Convention, so its products can enjoy preferential tariffs in the EU market. All goods that were produced and processed by the companies in the LFZ can be sold in the Nigerian market after the delivery of the relevant customs duties in accordance with relevant provisions of the Nigerian government, and the tariffs on goods are calculated and levied solely on the basis of the prices of the parts and raw materials. Meanwhile, the goods can be imported and exported without relevant licenses, and the products manufactured in the zone can be sold to the European Union and America without quota restrictions.
It is convenient for the investors to have all their investment procedures handled with the fast and efficient “one-stop” service provided by the LFZ. In the aspect of taxation, the existing legal provisions on taxes, tariffs and foreign exchanges of Nigeria do not apply to LFZ. The tax of the relevant federal, state and local levels of government are all exempted from. At the same time, the raw materials, machinery and equipment used in the production and other goods related to the investment projects are exempt from import duties and quota restrictions.
4. Wish Sino-Africa friendship last forever
Reporter: I heard that you have recently been to Guangzhou auto show and bought two cars made in China. What do you think of “Made in China"?
Ambassador: China has been developing very rapidly, and now the quality of Chinese product is trustworthy. Our trust for the Chinese products is a symbol of Sino-Africa good friendship, which can consolidate the long-term friendly relations between China and Africa. .
Geely Automobile which is very competitive with its excellent quality is the embodiment of Chinese technology. In Guangzhou, I bought two Geely SUV. One is used as the government car for the diplomatic office and the other has been shipped back to Nigeria.
China has always been very friendly to Africa, so why not buy a Chinese car? Since I was in China, buying Chinese-made cars is my personal confidence in China\'s development and my respect for Chinese technology.
Reporter: Under the background of economic globalization, how do you think of the current Sino-Nigeria relations and Sino-Africa relations?
Ambassador: At present, China is the largest economy of Asia while Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. Bilateral relations have risen to a strategic partnership with many features in common on the development of both two sides.
Last year, the total trade between the two countries exceeded $ 10 billion, among which, China\'s total investment in Nigeria was more than $ 6 billion. FTA is a very classic case to show that the Sino-Nigeria mutual trust and mutual benefit relations will be a long-term one.
The good relations between China and Nigeria have had a very long history. From Sino-Nigeria relations then expand to Sino-Africa relations, we would like to pay tribute to the several generations of Chinese leaders. They made great efforts to strengthen the friendly relations and mutual economic and political trust between China and Africa.
From December 1963 to February 1964, Premier Zhou Enlai visited ten countries in Africa. Having started by Premier Zhou’s visit to Africa, the Sino-Africa friendship has gone through 50 years. Talking about the story of Premier Zhou’s visit to Africa, many people are still quite nostalgic about it.
In August 2012, we successfully held the 1st Forum on Sino-Africa Local Government Cooperation. Today’s Sino-Africa friendship can be attributed to the joint efforts made by the generations of the leaders of the two sides. Now the two countries can still maintain this friendship because we both regard the other as a true friend.
China has been providing great economical and technological support for Nigeria and Africa for many years, which is deeply appreciated by Nigerian people.
I hope that people in China, Nigeria and Africa can be good friends for generations to come, and wish Sino-Nigeria and Sino-Africa friendship could last forever ! (Reporter: Zheng Guanghua)