The federal government has received 72 young Nigerian graduates of Railway Engineering in Abuja.
These graduates, aged between 18 and 19 years, were sponsored by the Chinese Engineering and Construction Company (CECC) in 2019 to study railway engineering and other transportation-related courses in China.
The sponsorship was part of the Corporate Social Responsibility of the Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) in Nigeria.
The Minister of Transportation, Saidu Alkali, highlighted the government’s commitment to indigenous participation in the railway industry’s development and operation.
In 2018, the government introduced the National Local Content Policy for Railway with the aim of enhancing local participation.
The minister emphasized the crucial role played by the rail transport sub-sector in the country and the need to implement the policy effectively. The successful training of these graduates in China is a testament to the Ministry of Transportation’s initiatives and the sustained sponsorship of Nigerian students by the CCECC.
Alkali expressed hope that the graduates would contribute to the revitalization and re-modeling of the railway sub-sector, aligning with the 25-year Railway Modernization Plan.
The Ministry of Transportation will support the graduates by engaging them as engineers and technicians through on-the-job training programs.
During the signing of the International Agreement of Employment between CCECC and the new graduates, representatives including the Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima, and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, congratulated the graduates for their exemplary behaviour and commended the CCECC for providing quality education and technical expertise to support Nigeria’s infrastructure development.
The Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Weng Yingqi, praised the graduates for their decision to return to Nigeria and serve the country. He emphasised that their commitment would serve as an inspiration to younger Nigerians, urging them to use their knowledge and skills to accelerate Nigeria’s development.
The Chairman of CCECC, Jason Zhang, highlighted the event as a testament to the growing cooperation between Nigeria and China, underscoring the company’s commitment to deepening mutual understanding and bilateral relations.
The contract signing between the graduates and CCECC marked the highlight of the event, with the graduates accepting positions within the company. This milestone signifies a significant step forward in the development of Nigeria’s railway industry and the utilization of local talent to drive progress and transformation.
