Nigeria Officially Joins BRICS as Partner Country

This is a related comment by a Nigerian author:

Decoding China’s Nigerian Charm Offensive

The pledge of $140 million in military aid and the promise to train 6,000 military personnel across Africa sounds impressive until you do the math. It’s pocket change compared to what China earns from African trade. Yet, we [Nigerians] a’re supposed to see this as a major commitment to African security. Talk about strategic investment on a shoestring budget!

[It is] particularly intriguing that China is supporting Nigeria’s bid for a permanent United Nations (UN) Security Council seat. Don’t get me wrong – we [Nigerians] absolutely deserve that seat. But China’s support comes with strings attached, whether we admit it or not. It’s no coincidence that this backing comes alongside discussions about currency swaps and infrastructure projects. Beijing’s diplomatic support always comes with a price tag.

[...] “Don’t let others bully you – let us protect you instead.” It’s like switching landlords and calling it independence.

What’s particularly noteworthy is China’s support for “Africans addressing African issues in the African way.” Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? But this is coming from the same country that has voting rights in African development banks and significant control over numerous African infrastructure projects. The contradiction is glaring.

The proposed expansion of military cooperation deserves special scrutiny. Yes, we [Nigerians] need all the help we can get in tackling our security challenges. But military aid often comes with hidden costs. Just ask any African country that has ever tried to balance military cooperation with maintaining strategic autonomy.

The details of these agreements [with China] often remain shrouded in secrecy. [...]

Other African nations have already learned the hard way that Chinese loans can be a double-edged sword. Just ask our neighbours about their experiences with Chinese debt restructuring. [...]