China will help Nigeria and the African continent at large to substantially improve their communication technology, said the Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, Xu Jianguo.

In a meeting with Ahmed Rufai, CEO of Nigerian Communication Satellite Ltd. (Nigcomsat), on Thursday, Xu said scientific and technological cooperation between China and Nigeria will benefit the African countries and peoples.

Nigeria's first communications satellite NIGCOMSAT-1 was successfully launched from China's Xichang Satellite Launch Center aboard a Long March 3B launch vehicle on May 14, 2007.

Xu said the successful launch of NIGCOMSAT-1 signifies that cooperation between China and Nigeria in enhancing mutual political trust, and economic and trade relations, has been extended to high technology as well.

Nigeria is expected to improve its communication quality, including Internet services, within one or two months, said Rufai.

Nigcomsat, a public-private partnership company, is actively working with its Chinese partners to prepare NIGCOMSAT-2 and NIGCOMSAT-3, Rufai said.

He expressed hope that the Chinese government would continue to support Nigerian communication satellite projects.