Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday announced a new collaborative framework between Japan and the African Development Bank that could see up to $5.5 billion directed to Africa.
The announcement was made in Yokohama, Japan, during the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), according to Punch.
In a statement released by President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Ishiba highlighted Japan’s focus on building development through cooperation with Africa.
“The Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba emphasised the importance of mutual understanding, local solutions, and collaborative efforts for Africa’s development. The Prime Minister outlined Japan’s focus on private sector-led sustainable growth, youth and women empowerment, and regional integration,” the statement said.
According to Ishiba, the framework will rely on Japan International Cooperation Agency private sector investment finance as a driver. He stressed that Africa’s development depends on solutions rooted in local realities.
“Japan is providing various cooperation and support for Africa. But first of all, Japan needs to know more about Africa. So, in creating solutions together, this co-creation at the TICAD 9, we focus on three important areas: private sector-led sustainable growth, Youth and Women, and Regional integration and connectivity within and beyond Africa,” he said.
The Japanese leader also spoke candidly about his country’s domestic challenges, asking African nations to work with Japan as it confronts population decline and shrinking farmland.
“In 75 years from now, the population of Japan would have been halved. In the local communities, the population continues to decline; this is one big challenge Japan is facing. All agricultural land is being reduced, another major challenge for Japan,” Ishiba said.
He contrasted this with Africa’s young population, noting its potential if channelled properly.
“There is another potential in Africa; there is so much growing young population in Africa, but for the power of young people in Africa to flourish, you need to create a manufacturing industry and create employment, and that, I believe, is very important.”
In Africa, there is a primary industry, agriculture, forestry, and industries, and then it jumped over to the tertiary sectors and the services industries.
Don’t Miss This:
FG Secures Over $1 Billion To Accelerate Healthcare Reforms In Nigeria
“There is a jump in economic growth that Japan and other Asian countries have experienced and they have tried to move from the primary, the Agriculture, fisheries, forestry to the secondary, that is a necessary process because the power of the youth could be realised fully in the manufacturing industry to improve the productivity of Africa’s manufacturing sector,” Ishiba explained.
At the same conference, President Bola Tinubu commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for recent gains against insurgents and criminals, while reiterating his government’s commitment to addressing insecurity through stronger institutions and ongoing economic reforms.
Speaking at the plenary session on Peace and Stability, Tinubu said Nigeria’s diversity, inclusivity, and rule of law remain its greatest assets. He described the momentum within the Armed Forces as a foundation for development and long-term stability.
“Nigeria’s brave armed forces can win any number of battles, but we do justice to their heroism only when we, as government, are courageous in tackling not just terror, but also the underlying causes,” Tinubu stated.
He acknowledged progress in peace efforts across Africa, pointing to recent mediation successes in Congo as proof that linking peace agreements to economic investment can be effective.
“We should be under no illusions about the scale of our task. But neither should we underestimate the successes we have had. In the past, competition for resources has weakened states and triggered conflict. Now, we see mediators directly linking outcomes to investment in Congo. It is working and underlines the need for fresh thinking in everything we do to deliver peace and stability.
Nigeria understands this process well. We believe inclusivity and diversity under the rule of law are our strengths. We have argued for this vision, and we have fought for it. We are still fighting for it today. We have learned that our brave armed forces can win many battles.
But we can do justice to their heroism and sacrifice only when we, as governments, display the courage to be tough, not only on terror, but on the causes of terror,” he said.
Tinubu also urged nations to move beyond aid appeals and instead embrace market-driven cooperation. He used the occasion to press Japan to back reforms at the United Nations, especially the Security Council, to give Africa a stronger voice.
“It is the view of Nigeria that Africa’s quest for fair and equitable representation in the UN Security Council is a just and fair demand. Indeed, Africa deserves two seats in the Permanent Category, with all its prerogatives and privileges, including the Right of Veto. Africa also deserves additional seats in the non–permanent seat category of the Security Council, as encapsulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration.”
On the role of technology, Tinubu called for global cooperation to ensure digital tools strengthen peace and trust rather than fuel division.
Don’t Miss This:
FG Decries Low Agricultural Export Earnings, Below $400 Million Despite Strong GDP Impact
Image Credit: Punch
