Vaccine Equity: China to produce 400million doses of COVID-19 Vaccines in Nigeria ─Envoy

*The idea of producing the COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria is possible and feasible, as there is a need to build trust between the two governments, says Cui Jianchun, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

In a strategic move to close the current yawning gap in immunisation against the novel Coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria and other countries on the African continent, the Chinese Government has disclosed that it is perfecting plans to work with Nigerian Government to produce 400 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccines in the West African country.

ConsumerConnect gathered Mr. Cui Jianchun, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Nigeria, disclosed this development Tuesday, in Abuja, FCT, at a round table organised by the Centre for China Studies (CCS), with the theme: “Build an African-China Community with a Shared Future in the New Era: Nigeria’s Actions and Contributions”.

Cui Jianchun, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria

The envoy stated that plans are underway to lead the country in producing the Chinese COVID-19 vaccines in the country soon.

The round table was aimed at reflecting on the opportunities of the recent outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation which held in Dakar, Senegal, according to agency report.

Hitherto, the Chinese Government had donated millions of doses of its Sinopharm and Sinovac to several countries, particularly in Africa, Asia and Latin America for immunisation against the COVID-19.

Specifically, the country was said to have taken up its offer of  7.7 million doses of the Chinese Vaccines through the COVAX vaccine initiative aimed at providing vaccines to developing countries of the world.

However, it is noted that the Nigerian Government has yet to approve the Coronavirus Vaccines for use in the country.

The Chinese Government July 2021 also offered 470,000 doses of its COVID-19 vaccines to Nigeria, but the offer was not received, report said.

China committed to leading Nigeria and others in vaccine production: Jianchun

Ambassador Jianchun further said that the development of vaccine production in Nigeria is in line with China’s commitments of leading the West African country and other Africa nations to self-reliant and to close the existing immunisation gap.

The move, Jianchun noted, is in line with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent remarks during the Eight Ministerial Meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

According to the envoy, President Jinping during the FOCAC Ministerial meeting said that the Chinese Government would work with Chinese companies and Africans would be involved to work together to produce 400 million vaccines in Nigeria.

Jianchun also said: “At the opening ceremony of the FOCAC Conference, President Xi Jinping announced another one billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Africa.

“Of which 600 million doses will be in form of donation and the other 400 million doses will be jointly produced in Africa by Chinese and African companies.

“This is a powerful message of China and Africa working together to close the immunisation gap.”

He stressed that it is high time the two countries utilised the opportunity to produce vaccines to tackle this raging Coronavirus pandemic.

The envoy further noted: “We are preparing to do more research to meet the future demands against the pandemic.

“Discussions were underway and the two sides are meeting over how to cooperate in the production line.

“I think that in the coming months, you will know the exact news, the information on how can the two countries work together.”

Jianchun further said that the idea of producing the COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria is possible and feasible, adding, that there was the need to build trust between the two governments in this regard.

Charles Onunaiju, Director of Centre for China Studies, appreciated the Chinese Government for its continuous support towards the development of Nigeria and Africa without any selfish interest.

Onunaiju said that FOCAC is not just an international forum but a platform known for open frankness, serious engagements and concrete deliverables that has changed the face of Africa in the past 21 years.

The CCS Director stated that in terms of infrastructural developments and education assistance among others, the Chinese Government was the first to assist Nigeria at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which the Asian country is still doing.

“Since the Beijing summit, when president Xi Jinping proposed that China and Africa build an even stronger community of shared future, the combined effects of the FOCAC mechanism and strategic projects.

“Enabling value addition to real national aggregates to Africa countries, including Nigeria.

“In the new era especially in the face of the vehement and forbidding China would provide one billion doses of the vaccines,” said Onunaiju.

Kindly Share This Story