To revive Nigeria’s underperforming steel sector, a high-powered delegation comprising the Director-General of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), Joseph Tegbe, and the Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, has held a strategic meeting with executives of Sino Steel, one of China’s most influential steel conglomerates.
The high-level engagement focused on advancing the long-delayed revitalisation of the Ajaokuta Steel Company, a key industrial asset considered critical to reviving Nigeria’s manufacturing sector.
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 industrialisation, 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 particularly in supporting the automotive, construction and heavy machinery sectors.
Speaking after the meeting, Tegbe described the discussions as “strategic, technical and action-oriented,” noting that the collaboration reflects a strong alignment between Nigerian economic aspiration 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 modernisation and operational optimisation.
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 emphasised 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 catalysing bilateral cooperation in infrastructure, manufacturing, and industrial development – consistent with the shared commitments of President Tinubu and President Xi Jinping.
