Nigeria, Jan. 8 -- China's Belt and Road Initiative has expanded significantly over the last several years in Africa, and has cut across different sectors. Beijing has a strategy to project influence through gifting prestigious presidential palaces and parliamentary buildings that have been labelled 'unique' in its history with Africa.

Reports show that since 2000, Beijing has bankrolled the construction or renovation of nearly 200 government complexes. Several of such projects were funded through various streams including loans and donations. Classical examples include the African Union (AU) building estimated at $200 million in 2012, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Eth...