Nigeria is to benefit from a European Union donation of $55m to boost the country’s fight against coronavirus. A statement from the presidency confirmed the development after a meeting between an EU delegation and President Muhammadu Buhari today.

“Receiving the EU delegation to the country, led by Amb Ketil Karlsen, President Buhari said the donation would go a long way in supporting Nigeria’s efforts at controlling & containing the virus to prevent community spread, as well as revitalise the national health care systems.

“The President used the occasion to express sincere condolences of the Government and people of Nigeria to EU-member countries and families who lost their loved ones as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,’ the presidency wrote on Twitter.

In his remarks, Ambassador Karlsen described the donation, channelled through the UN COVID-19 basket fund as, so far, the largest single contribution to the response in Nigeria and the largest support that EU is providing anywhere outside Europe.

The EU Ambassador congratulated President Buhari for “a very powerful address to the nation last night”, stressing “indeed the current situation is no joke and we wish to commend you for taking bold and necessary measures.”

He also announced that the European Union was mobilising other sources of funding, noting that they have already paid 1.2 million Euros to UNICEF, and goods purchased through that funding are expected in the country soon.

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