The protective face masks being donated by Israel to Nigeria, May 7, 2020. Photo: Israeli Embassy in Nigeria.

Israel donated 2,000 protective face masks to Nigeria on Thursday to help the western African nation in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

“The State of Israel and Skill-G support the Federal Republic of Nigeria by donating 2000 protective facemasks that were designed in Israel and manufactured in Nigeria, to protect medical staff,” the Israeli Embassy in Abuja tweeted.

The State of Israel and Skill-G support the Federal Republic of Nigeria by donating 2000 protective facemasks that were designed in Israel and manufactured in Nigeria, to protect medical staff. @Fmohnigeria @IsraelMFA #60YearsOfRelationsAndFriendship pic.twitter.com/tb5QuCaUtv

— Israel in Nigeria (@IsraelinNigeria) May 7, 2020

The Sahara Reporters news website quoted Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria Shimon Ben-Shoshan as saying, “This is something that we have been doing even before the outbreak of the COVID-19, which is using medical innovations of Israel in Nigeria.”

“What we see today is another fantastic cooperation between Israeli companies with group of companies in Nigeria in production of protective masks,” he added. “The protective masks which were designed in Israel and manufactured in Nigeria were printed with 3-D printers in Nigeria.”

“What we have here is contribution of Israel to Nigeria; our goal is to donate 10,000 protective face masks for medical staff in the frontline of fighting COVID-19,” the ambassador further noted. “Today, we are donating the first phase of 2,000 face masks, we wish to continue and to bring the rest as soon as possible, and unfortunately the production process takes time.”