China has agreed to lend Nigeria one billion US dollar (5,9 milliarder DKR) so that the powerfull West African nation can modernise its railways and help speed up the development of its economy, BBC Online reports Tuesday.
Under the deal, Nigeria will have to provide matching funds to buy new rolling stock and equipment, as well as lay new track.
The deal is the latest example of China looking to tighten relations with oil-producer countries, analysts said. China wants to secure steady energy supplies as its economy booms.
Chinese firms also are keen to tap into what they hope will be the quick development of the Nigerian economy. After many years of waste and corruption, Nigeria has paid off most of its foreign debts and set itself ambitious goals for economic growth.
The announcement of the loan comes after Chinas CITIC group and China Railway Construction last week won a tender to build 528 km of the 1.216-km long Algeria East-West Highway, beating US, German and Japanese firms.
Tilføjelse fra u-landsnyt.dk:
Lånet til Nigeria er den største kinesiske infrastruktur-investering i Afrika siden bygningen af Tanzam-jernbanen mellem Tanzania og Zambia i 1970erne. Kineserne finansierede og byggede den næsten 1.400 km lange banelinje mellem Dar es Salaam i Tanzania i nord og Kapiri Mposhi ved Zambias kobberbælte i syd.
Vestlige donorer, herunder Danmark, har stort set altid været stærkt tilbageholdende med at finansiere jernbaneprojekter i Afrika, hvorfor kontinentets veje er overfyldte og hullede af den tunge lastbiltrafik. Eneste land i Afrika med et nogenlunde ordentligt jernbanenet er Sydafrika.
De 2 asiatiske vækstgiganter, Kina og Indien, er forlenet med et omfattende, fintmasket og effektivt jernbanenet, som fortsat udbygges med milliardinvesteringer.
