Nigeria and China have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral relations, with both nations pledging to leverage their shared history, cultural exchanges, and economic complementarities to drive mutual growth and global stability. The renewed commitment was emphasized during a reception in Lagos to mark the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and 56 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on China-Nigeria Parliamentary Relations, Hon. Jaafaru Yakubu, hailed the strategic partnership between both nations, stressing that it has yielded tangible gains in infrastructure, trade, technology, education, and cultural ties. He assured that Nigeria remains a reliable partner in China’s vision of building “a community with a shared future,” capable of shaping Africa’s development and contributing to global peace and prosperity.
Yakubu highlighted the significance of this year’s celebrations, noting that October 1 is a day of double pride—marking China’s 76th National Day and Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary. According to him, these milestones reflect the countries’ shared struggles for sovereignty and dignity, while also underscoring a friendship that has grown steadily over the years. He further expressed the National Assembly’s readiness to support China’s Global Governance Initiative (GGI), which seeks to promote a more just and equitable international order.
On her part, Ms. Yan Yuqing, Consul General of China in Lagos, reaffirmed her country’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Nigeria, stressing that the comprehensive partnership has produced “fruitful results.” She revealed that bilateral trade between the two countries reached 21.89 billion dollars in 2024, with Nigeria emerging as China’s second-largest trading partner in Africa. Notably, China’s imports from Nigeria in 2024 stood at $2.99 billion, reflecting a 25.8 percent year-on-year increase.
Yuqing also disclosed that from January to July 2025 alone, bilateral trade had already grown by 34.7 percent, reaching 15.48 billion dollars. She attributed the vibrancy of this cooperation to efforts by the Chinese Consulate in Lagos, which has actively promoted local partnerships, economic exchanges, and cultural interactions between Nigerians and Chinese citizens.
Highlighting the importance of people-to-people exchanges, the Chinese envoy pointed to the growing interest among Nigerian youths in learning Chinese language and culture. This, she said, was fostering deeper cultural understanding and strengthening the social fabric of relations beyond government-level engagements.
Both officials emphasized that the elevation of China-Nigeria relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2024, following agreements between Presidents Bola Tinubu and Xi Jinping, marked a turning point in their cooperation. Under the Belt and Road Initiative framework, they noted, Nigeria and China have achieved significant progress in infrastructure projects and development partnerships.
The reception ended with a joint resolve by both sides to continue nurturing the relationship with sincerity, mutual respect, and practical cooperation, ensuring that the partnership remains beneficial not only to Nigeria and China but also to Africa and the global community.
