By H.E. YU Dunhai, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria
On February 10, 1971, the People’s Republic of China and the Federal Republic of Nigeria formally established diplomatic relations.
Time has flown by, and today, on February 10, 2026, we celebrate a truly significant moment in our history: the 55th anniversary of our diplomatic ties. Over more than half a century, China-Nigeria relations have braved the shifting tides of the international landscape. Our two countries have stood together through thick and thin, advanced hand in hand, and forged a profound friendship rooted in mutual understanding and affinity. This enduring partnership has fostered a fine tradition of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit, exchange and mutual learning, as well as win-win cooperation, setting an exemplary model for South-South cooperation.
55 Years of Standing Together: China and Nigeria as Trusted Friends Sharing Weal and Woe. From the formal establishment of diplomatic relations in 1971, to the establishment of a strategic partnership in 2005, and further to its elevation to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2024, every leap forward in China-Nigeria relations has been grounded in our original aspiration of mutual respect and equal treatment. China has always firmly supported Nigeria’s efforts to safeguard its national unity, peace, and social stability, and actively backed Nigeria in playing a constructive role in the peace processes in West Africa and the Sahel region.
Meanwhile, Nigeria has firmly adhered to the One-China principle and consistently offered unwavering support to China on issues involving China’s core interests and major concerns, such as the Taiwan question. On regional and global stages, the two sides have also maintained close collaboration, jointly safeguarding the common interests of developing countries and emerging as leading forces for solidarity and cooperation within the Global South.
55 Years of Shared Progress: China and Nigeria as Development Partners for Win-Win Cooperation. Our two countries have continuously strengthened the alignment of our development strategies, and our cooperation in trade, investment, finance, industry, infrastructure, mining, personnel training, and peace and security has delivered fruitful outcomes. A series of landmark projects built by Chinese enterprises across Nigeria have injected strong momentum into the country’s economic growth and social development, delivering tangible benefits to its people. Notable examples include the China-Nigeria Friendship Hospital, the National ICT Infrastructure Backbone Project, the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the Zungeru Hydropower Station, the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline, the Nigerian Railway Modernization Project, the Abuja Water Supply Project, and several modern airport terminals, among many others. Today, Nigeria stands as China’s largest project contracting market and second-largest export market in Africa; it is also a key destination for Chinese investment and the second-largest trading partner for China on the continent. In 2025 alone, China-Nigeria bilateral trade reached 28 billion US dollars, an increase of more than 28 percent year-on-year. China’s direct investment in Nigeria reached 690 million US dollars, rising by 103 percent. These striking figures vividly demonstrate the strong resilience and vigorous vitality of China-Nigeria cooperation.
55 Years of Deepening Mutual Understanding and Affinity: China and Nigeria as Brothers and Sisters at Heart. The flourishing people-to-people and cultural exchanges between our two countries, through deepened interactions in education, culture, arts, sports, youth engagement and other fields, have continuously brought our peoples closer, further uniting our hearts, minds, and strengths. Fine traditional Chinese arts such as Chinese medicine and martial arts have gained wide popularity in Nigeria, while Nigerian films, music, literature and other distinctive cultural expressions have also found their way into ordinary Chinese households. A wave of Chinese language learning is sweeping across Nigeria, building a more solid bridge for exchanges between our two civilizations. By respecting differences and engaging in equal dialogue, our civilizations have learned from and integrated with each other. This dynamic interplay not only injects enduring momentum into the growth of bilateral relations, but also reinforces the broad popular foundation that sustains the steady and long-term development of the China-Nigeria comprehensive strategic partnership.
After 55 years of growth, China and Nigeria have forged a profound friendship that transcends geographical distances and have jointly written a wonderful chapter of shared development. In September 2024, President Xi Jinping met with President Bola Tinubu, and the two leaders jointly announced the elevation of China-Nigeria relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, marking that bilateral relations have entered a fast track of high-level development. In October 2025, the Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, adopted at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, clearly put forward the goal of “expanding high-standard opening-up and creating a new prospect for win-win cooperation,” pointing out the direction for China and Nigeria to share development opportunities and promote common prosperity. Now, standing at a new historical starting point, China-Nigeria relations and our practical cooperation are embracing truly broad and unprecedented prospects.
China and Nigeria are natural members of the Global South, major developing countries, and important representatives of emerging economies. The two countries share similar visions and compatible needs in national governance, economic construction, and other fields, while also maintaining extensive consensus and shared aspirations in safeguarding the common interests of the Global South and promoting the reform and improvement of the global governance system. China attaches great importance to China-Nigeria relations and stands ready to work with Nigeria to take the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges as opportunities to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, jointly advance modernization, build a China-Nigeria community with a shared future, enhance the well-being of the two peoples, and contribute to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
China will continue to deepen strategic mutual trust with Nigeria. Guided by high-level exchanges, the Chinese side will give full play to the strategic leadership of head-of-state diplomacy and leverage the mechanism of the China-Nigeria Intergovernmental Committee to advance practical exchanges and cooperation across all levels and fields. At the same time, we will continue to strengthen strategic communication and policy coordination, firmly support each other on issues concerning our core interests and major concerns, respect each other’s choice of development path, and deepen coordination in national governance, economic development, national security, regional stability and other areas, thereby solidifying the foundation of the China-Nigeria comprehensive strategic partnership.
China will continue to share development opportunities with Nigeria. Guided by the principles of openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation, China is committed to aligning high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, the Ten Partnership Actions, and the zero-tariff policy with Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Eight Priority Areas. We stand ready to accelerate the early implementation of the zero-tariff policy in Nigeria, expand multidimensional cooperation, and ensure that the outcomes of our cooperation deliver broader and more substantial benefits to both peoples. Furthermore, China will implement the Initiative on Cooperation Supporting Modernization in Africa, launched jointly with South Africa during the G20 Summit, and provide full support to Nigeria in advancing its industrialization and modernization, thereby strengthening its capacity for independent development.
China will continue to uphold multilateralism with Nigeria. We stand ready to work with Nigeria in firmly safeguarding the international system with the United Nations as its core and the international order based on international law, and in promoting the reform and improvement of the global governance system. Together, we will also uphold fairness and justice, oppose unilateralism and bullying, and effectively respond to global challenges. China also stands ready to strengthen collaboration with Nigeria within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and BRICS, firmly upholding the common interests and development rights of developing countries. Furthermore, China is committed to actively advancing the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative. We will help build an equal and orderly multipolar world, foster inclusive economic globalization, and together with Nigeria, contribute to global peace, stability, development, and prosperity.
China will continue to deepen civilizational mutual learning with Nigeria. Seizing the opportunity of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, China is ready to further diversify non-governmental exchanges and establish multi-faceted platforms for communication with Nigeria. We will strengthen interactions between media outlets, think tanks, and academic institutions of both countries to deepen mutual understanding and appreciation of each other’s history, culture, policies, and development paths.Through events such as the China-Africa Youth Festival and the China-Africa Cultural Silk Road Exchange Month, we will broaden public support for the growth of China-Nigeria relations and ensure that the friendship between our two peoples is passed down through generations, remaining vibrant and enduring.
As we reflect on the journey behind us, China-Nigeria cooperation has achieved fruitful outcomes. As we look to the future, our bilateral relations hold even brighter prospects. Over more than half a century, our friendship has grown stronger and more vibrant. Now, entering a new era, our two countries will surely join hands to write a more remarkable chapter of cooperation and reinforce a friendship that is both lasting and flourishing.
H.E. YU Dunhai, is the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria
