The Federal Government of Nigeria has formalised a $1 million grant agreement with the People’s Republic of China to boost flood relief efforts across the country.
The deal was signed in Abuja by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, and the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai.
The intervention is directed at the northern states hardest hit by recent flooding, including Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Borno, Taraba, and Adamawa.
Bagudu described the support as a timely lifeline, stressing that it will complement ongoing government efforts to deliver relief supplies, rebuild communities, and restore livelihoods.
He pledged that the funds would be managed with transparency, overseen through a joint monitoring and evaluation framework agreed with the Chinese Embassy.
Ambassador Dunhai, on his part, extended Beijing’s sympathy to victims of the disaster and reaffirmed China’s solidarity with Nigeria.
He noted that China had also endured deadly floods in July, which claimed lives and displaced families around Beijing, describing the shared experience as a basis for deeper mutual understanding.
Observers say the assistance is part of a wider pattern of growing cooperation between the two countries. Relations were bolstered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to China in September 2024, during which both governments elevated their partnership and signed new agreements.
The donation also follows President Xi Jinping’s June 2025 announcement of zero-tariff access for African exports, including Nigeria’s, a policy aimed at boosting trade and job creation across the continent. Analysts believe such economic measures have fostered the goodwill that enables swift humanitarian collaboration.
Nigeria has been grappling with destructive floods throughout 2025, which devastated infrastructure, displaced tens of thousands of people, and stretched emergency services. Reports show that multiple states have faced heavy rains and widespread damage, underscoring the urgent need for additional aid.
Government officials said the grant would help close immediate gaps in relief delivery while reinforcing long-term recovery efforts such as housing rehabilitation, school repairs, and farmland restoration.
Diplomats and aid workers welcomed the Chinese support but urged quick disbursement so that assistance reaches vulnerable families without delay. Civil society groups also called for strict oversight to guarantee transparency and fairness in distribution.
Officials emphasised that beyond short-term humanitarian relief, the grant symbolises the broader Nigeria–China partnership, which now extends across trade, infrastructure, agriculture, technology and disaster management.
