Nigeria, March 28 -- Nigerian senators on Thursday debated the proposed sale of the country's third-largest cement producer to a Chinese firm.

After the debate, the Senate directed the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to oversee the sale of Lafarge Africa Plc to ensure it aligns with national security and economic interests.

The upper chamber also mandated its Committee on Capital Market to liaise with government agencies in the sale process to ensure that it is transparent.

The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Shuaib Salisu (APC, Ogun Central) during the plenary, amid concerns over foreign dominance in Nigeria's cement industry.

The motion led to an intense debate on the Sen...