Key stakeholders have called for a more robust and forward-looking partnership between Nigeria and China as both nations commemorate 55 years of diplomatic engagement.
The appeal was made on Wednesday in Abuja during a high-level forum titled “Nigeria/China at 55 and Beyond,” convened by the Centre for China Studies in collaboration with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR). The event attracted diplomats, policymakers, scholars and students who examined the trajectory and future of bilateral relations.
In his opening remarks, Director of the Centre for China Studies, Charles Onunaiju, described Nigeria–China ties as one of the most enduring and strategically important relationships in the country’s foreign policy landscape. According to him, the anniversary offers a moment not only for reflection but also for recalibrating cooperation in response to shifting global dynamics.
He noted that relations between Abuja and Beijing have been guided by principles such as mutual respect, sovereignty and shared development aspirations. The recent elevation of the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, he said, signals a transition into a new phase requiring stronger institutional collaboration and clearer economic direction.
Onunaiju urged Nigeria to engage China through a clearly defined long-term framework that prioritises industrial growth, infrastructure development and meaningful technology transfer to accelerate national development.
Also speaking, the Director-General of IPCR, Joseph Ochogwu, represented by Emmanuel Mamman of the National Peace Academy, highlighted the value of sustained dialogue in advancing international cooperation. He observed that Nigeria–China relations now extend beyond commerce to include security collaboration, peacebuilding initiatives and coordination within multilateral platforms.
Describing both countries as influential voices in the Global South, Ochogwu stressed that their partnership has broader implications for regional peace and reform of global governance institutions. He called for stronger collaboration among think tanks, policy institutions and diplomatic actors to ensure that the relationship yields measurable benefits for citizens.
Speaking on behalf of the Chinese Ambassador, Chargé d’Affaires Zhou Hongyou reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Nigeria. He traced diplomatic relations back to February 10, 1971, noting that the partnership has steadily deepened over the decades.
Zhou stated that China has supported Nigeria’s unity and development efforts, while Nigeria has consistently upheld the one-China principle. Bilateral cooperation, he added, now spans critical sectors including infrastructure, power, energy, mining, healthcare and education.
He cited major joint projects such as the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the Zungeru Hydropower Plant, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline and railway modernisation schemes as examples of tangible collaboration. Trade volumes between the two countries, he said, have continued to expand, underscoring the vitality of the relationship.
Looking ahead, Zhou outlined key priorities for the next stage of engagement, including enhanced political trust, closer alignment of Belt and Road initiatives with Nigeria’s development plans, stronger coordination in multilateral bodies like the United Nations and BRICS, and broader cultural and educational exchanges.
Offering a broader economic perspective, the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, reflected on the historical evolution of Nigeria–China relations, recalling that his father, the late Ambassador Aminu Sanusi, served as Nigeria’s first envoy to China in the early 1970s.
Sanusi pointed to China’s dramatic economic transformation over the past five decades as evidence of the impact of disciplined, long-term planning. Drawing from his tenure as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, he noted that Nigeria had early recognised China’s growing global influence by incorporating the Chinese renminbi into its foreign reserves.
However, the monarch cautioned that Nigeria must reassess the structure of its economic engagement with China. While acknowledging the significance of infrastructure partnerships, he warned against an overreliance on imported goods.
He emphasised the need for Nigeria to build productive capacity and attract manufacturing investments, particularly as global supply chains shift and new opportunities emerge under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
According to Sanusi, Nigeria’s large domestic market positions it to become a regional manufacturing hub capable of generating employment and boosting exports—provided it adopts deliberate policies that encourage value addition and industrial growth.
Participants at the forum agreed that while the Nigeria–China relationship has recorded significant milestones over the past 55 years, its future success will depend on strategic planning, mutual accountability and a shared commitment to sustainable development.
