SINO-AFRICAN RELATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT OF NIGERIA RAILWAY COOPERATION TRANSPORT SYSTEM

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background of Study

Sino-African relations or Afro-Chinese relations refer to the historical, political, economic, military, social, and cultural connection between mainland China and the African continent. Little is known about ancient relations between China and the African continent, though there is some evidence of early trade connections. Highlights of medieval contacts include the 14th-century journey of Ibn Battuta, the Moroccan scholar and traveler to parts of China; the 14th-century visit of Sa'id of Mogadishu, the Somali scholar and explorer; and the 15th-century Ming dynasty voyages of Chinese admiral Zheng He and his fleet, which rounded the coast of Somalia, passing the Ajuran Sultanate, and followed the coast down to the Mozambique Channel. Glass beads and porcelain from China have been discovered at Great Zimbabwe, an ancient city located in present-day Zimbabwe (Wikipedia, 2021).

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) remains a government-owned entity with the largest asset-base in terms of landed property. Buildings, machines and the gamut of railroad network are principally acquisitions of colonial administration. Due to continued neglect by successive post-colonial regimes, the once burgeoning enterprise plummeted to low ebb. The term ‘moribund' is now commonly used to describe the NRC. Such description is informed by the level of operational dysfunction that has beset the Corporation.

Nigeria, as noted by Eleazu (1977), is a country of high human spatial mobility. Such population characteristic connotes high public transport demand. The need for an efficient means of mass carriage/haulage is, therefore, important. A resolution to restore the Nigerian railway system for effective and efficient performance requires more than lip-service and misleading publicity. Rather, pragmatic developmental policies and the will to transform this crucial infrastructure for common good are fundamental for such change. The restoration referred herein goes beyond mere continuance. But requires a shift from the traditional philosophy underlying railway establishment and operation in Nigeria to a people-oriented facility is preferred.

Transforming Nigeria's moribund railway to function contemporarily may seem formidable when we consider the enormity of fund requirement. What this paper seeks to address is the need for a shift in the Nigeria railway operational framework, from exploitative resource extraction corridor to a more broad-based mass transit facility. Given the level of rail service quality currently offered in Nigeria, there is the need to work toward meeting modern passenger and customers' expectations. Cost is identified as a considerable factor for meeting users' expectations. It is therefore sensible that provision of such infrastructure must be at minimum cost to the economy. To this end, a roadmap for adapting the colonial Nigerian railway infrastructure to modernity is proposed.

The relationship between Africa and China has assumed a matter of significant interest for scholars, policy makers and the global development community in general. While the relationship witnessed some resurgence from the 1990s, scholars have contended that it was not altogether new as previous relationship has existed between the two economic blocs as far back as the establishment of the modern state of the Peoples' Republic of China in 1949 (Brautigam, 2009, Brautigam and Gaye, 2007). The interest that thisrelationship has generated has also been critically analysed from the perspectives of the negative reaction from the West, especially among scholars, Journalists and politicians (Oloo, 2011, Tull, 2008).

1.2 Statement of Problems

Investigation reveals the following problem of the existing Sino-African relations and development (a case study of Nigeria Railway Cooperation Transport System) research work;

1. The railway institution suffered casualty in greater part of post-colonial administrations, in Nigeria as a result of longstanding neglect.
2. Though efforts are on to revamp the Nigerian railway system, issues of uneven rail network-spread, minority groups' exclusion and lack of modern technology in rail transport management and operations remain unresolved.
3. Insufficient information relating to the determination of the nature and impact of Nigeria investments in Africa
4. Improper investigation of the contemporary Sino-African Relations and development Infrastructural Sector.

1.3 Objectives of Study

The general assumptions were that Nigeria renewed interest in Africa is mainly based upon Nigeria's economic pursuits. The following are the specific objectives of the study:

1. To determine the nature of Nigeria investments in Africa
2. To determine the impacts brought by Nigeria's investments on Africa
3. To investigate the contemporary Sino-African Relations
4. To analyze the facilities needed for Sino-African development of Infrastructural Sector.

1.4 Research Questions

The questions that emerged from this study that are not yet answered sufficiently include:

• Can China serves as a development catalyst in the current economic collapse of many Nigeria states?
• How is this relationship transforming or undermining economic development in Nigeria?
• What are the implications of Sino-African relations for the reconfiguration of the global politics?
• How can Africa maximize the benefits of increasing Nigeria presence on the continent, while minimizing the negative effects?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following research hypotheses will be formulated and tested in this study:

Hypothesis One

• H0: There will be no significant difference in the development catalyst in the current economic collapse of many Nigeria states.
• H1: There is a significant difference in the development catalyst in the current economic collapse of many Nigeria states.

Hypothesis Two

• H0: There will be no significant relationship transforming or undermining economic development in Nigeria
• H1: There is a significant relationship transforming or undermining economic development in Nigeria

Hypothesis Three

• H0: There will be no significant difference in the implications of Sino-African relations for the reconfiguration of the global politics.
• H1: There is a significant difference in the implications of Sino-African relations for the reconfiguration of the global politics.

1.6 Scope of Study

The study focuses on Sino-African relations and development using Nigeria Railway Cooperation (NRC) transportation system as a case study, which covers the nature and impact of Nigeria's investments on Africa.

1.7 Significance of Study

With furtherance to the research work, the study will be beneficial to Sino-African officials by providing relevant information about the nature and impact of Nigeria investments in Africa using railway transportation system, and it will also serve as a reference material to subsequent research.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this project work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this institution to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.

1.9 Definition of Technical Terms

NRC: This is an acronym for Nigeria Railway Cooperation

SGR: This is an acronym for Standard Gauge Railway

BRI: This is an acronym for Belt and Road Initiative

Sino: Sino is a prefix generally refers to: China (Chinese people)

Africa: Africa is the world's second-largest and most populous continent, after Asia in both cases.

Relations: The way in which two or more people or things are connected; a thing's effect on or relevance to another.

Development: This is the process of developing or being developed.

Railway: This is a track made of steel rails along which trains run. It is also a network of tracks with the trains, organization, and personnel required for it's working.

Transport: This is the movement of animal, goods and humans from one location to another.

Railway Transport: This is a means of transferring passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are located on tracks.

System: This is a set of things working together as part of a mechanism or an interconnecting network; a complex whole.