NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT MEETS CHINESE GIANT ON REVITALIZATION OF AJAOKUTA STEEL | Prestige News

In a decisive move to revive Nigeria’s underperforming steel sector, a high-powered delegation comprising of the Director-General of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), Joseph Tegbe, and the Honourable Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, have held a strategic meeting with executives of Sino Steel, one of China’s largest and most influential steel conglomerates.

The high-level engagement focused on advancing the long-delayed revitalization of the Ajaokuta Steel Company, a key industrial asset considered critical to Nigeria’s manufacturing ambitions and job creation strategy. Talks centred around technical evaluations, operational modelling, and financing frameworks required to restore the facility to full productivity.

Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian government has placed renewed emphasis on industrialization, infrastructure development, and local content participation. Ajaokuta Steel Company, with an existing installed capacity of 1.9 million tonnes and the potential to scale up to 5 million tonnes annually, remains a cornerstone of this agenda—particularly in supporting the automotive, construction, and heavy machinery sectors.

Speaking after the meeting, NCSP Director-General Joseph Tegbe described the discussions as “strategic, technical, and action-oriented,” noting that the collaboration reflects a strong alignment between Nigerian economic aspirations and China’s expertise in large-scale industrial development.

Sino Steel expressed its readiness to deploy a technical team for an on-site viability assessment of the Ajaokuta plant in the coming weeks. The company will subsequently present a comprehensive proposal outlining a phased roadmap for modernization and operational optimization.

Honourable Minister Shuaibu Audu reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to unlocking the full potential of the Ajaokuta facility, stressing the importance of working with credible international partners. He emphasized his Ministry’s determination to move beyond rhetoric and deliver a steel sector that drives national industrial growth and global competitiveness.

This engagement is one of several high-level interactions between Nigerian and Chinese stakeholders in recent months, as the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership continues to play a central role in catalyzing bilateral cooperation in infrastructure, manufacturing, and industrial development—consistent with the shared commitments of President Tinubu and President Xi Jinping.