By our Correspondent
Nigeria and China have signed a strategic cooperation agreement aimed at expanding collaboration in film, broadcasting, digital media and the creative economy, in a move the two countries described as a major step towards strengthening cultural diplomacy and people-to-people exchanges.
The cooperation agreement was signed between China Movie Channel (CMC) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Abuja on Friday.
According to the officials of both countries, the partnership would support content co-production, programme exchange, professional training, technology transfer, and wider international distribution of Nigerian and Chinese creative works.
Speaking at the event, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, said the agreement would strengthen mutual understanding between the peoples of both countries through literature, film, and cultural exchange.
He noted that China and Nigeria were major global players in the creative industry, with China producing more than 700 films annually and Nigeria’s Nollywood remaining the world’s second-largest film industry.
“Today’s event marks an important step in advancing the Global Civilization Initiative and building a community with a shared future,” Mr Yu said.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Abdulkarim Ibrahim, said the agreement between the two organizations reflected the growing cultural partnership between Nigeria and China.
He said the cooperation would create opportunities for knowledge sharing, skills development, and greater global visibility for the creative industries of both countries.
The NTA Director-General, Salihu Dembos, described the agreement as the beginning of a new chapter in Nigeria-China relations.
He noted that the partnership represents much more than the formal signing of a document. It marks the beginning of a promising new chapter in the enduring relationship between Nigeria and China,” he said.
He said the partnership would provide a platform for joint productions, professional training, and technology exchange while helping Nigerian filmmakers, broadcasters, and young creative talents reach new international audiences.
Also speaking, the Editor-in-Chief of CMC, Cui Binzhen said the agreement would establish a framework for more regular interaction between the two broadcasting organisations.
He said the initiative was particularly significant because of the longstanding diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and China and the growing importance of cultural exchanges in strengthening bilateral relations.
According to him, CMC had accumulated considerable experience in promoting Chinese cinema internationally, having broadcast thousands of films and organised China Film Weeks in countries across the world.
Cui pointed out that CMC intends to use the partnership with NTA to further explore stories that showcase the relationship between the two countries and promote greater understanding through cinema.
Observers are of the view that this media pact is strategic, direct and tangible rollout born from the vision of the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). By launching these joint initiatives, both broadcasting giants are successfully transforming high-level political policy into grassroots action. The collaboration unlocks critical doors to technological innovation, media education, and international film screenings, turning FOCAC’s designated “Year of People-to-People Exchanges” into a living reality. (GSF)