The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria has denied allegations of involvement in the Nigerian contingent’s inability to participate in the 2025 World Relays in Guangzhou, China, due to visa processing delays.
In a statement, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) announced the country’s withdrawal from the event, attributing the decision to delays in visa issuance by the Chinese Embassy.
However, the embassy, in a response issued on Saturday, described the AFN’s claims as inconsistent with the facts, asserting that it provided timely and comprehensive assistance to the Nigerian applicants, completing visa issuance within two days.
According to the embassy, it received a letter from the National Sports Commission on April 24, 2025, requesting support for visa processing for Nigerian athletes and promptly engaged with the Commission, guiding it to prepare necessary documentation to expedite the application process.
“The China Visa Application Centre received the athletes’ application materials on May 6, 2025, and immediately activated an expedited procedure, finalising visa issuance within two days,” the statement said.
The embassy said that visa issuance is a matter of national sovereignty, requiring applicants to submit appropriate documents and allow sufficient processing time, which is standard practice for all foreign embassies.
It reiterated its commitment to fostering people-to-people and sports cooperation between China and Nigeria, noting its consistent support for Nigerian athletes’ participation in events in China and efficient handling of visa applications.
“We regret that the Nigerian athletes were unable to participate in the event in China this time, but the AFN’s statement is clearly inconsistent with the facts.
“The Embassy of China in Nigeria remains dedicated to promoting friendly exchanges between our peoples and will continue to provide support for cooperation in various fields, including sports,” the statement added.
