By our Correspondent
Nigeria and China have reaffirmed their enduring strategic partnership following a meeting between the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dunoma Umar Ahmed, and the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, at the Ministry in Abuja.
During the meeting, the two sides emphasized the strength of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation across key sectors.
While welcoming the Ambassador and his delegation, the permanent secretary commended the longstanding cordial ties between Nigeria and China, describing the relationship as one anchored on mutual respect, non-interference, and shared development aspirations.
Ahmed noted that the partnership between the two countries continued to deliver tangible benefits for both countries, particularly in infrastructure development, energy, trade, and capacity building.
The Permanent Secretary also acknowledged China’s sustained support for Nigeria’s socio-economic development, stressing that such collaboration remains vital to the country’s growth and industrialisation goals.
In his remarks, Ambassador Yu highlighted the steady expansion of bilateral engagement, noting that trade volume between the two countries has grown significantly, surpassing $28 billion in recent years. He described Nigeria–China relations as a comprehensive strategic partnership marked by deep political trust and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Ambassador Yu further referenced several ongoing and completed projects, including port development, industrial zones, and hydropower initiatives, which he said have contributed to Nigeria’s economic growth and job creation.
He reaffirmed China’s commitment to strengthening cooperation in areas that support Nigeria’s development priorities.
Both sides underscored the importance of sustaining high-level exchanges and strengthening institutional frameworks such as intergovernmental consultations, which serve as platforms for advancing collaboration in key sectors.
Further, the Ambassador informed the Permanent Secretary of ongoing discussions on economic partnership frameworks, including trade facilitation measures and tariff arrangements aimed at boosting Nigeria’s exports and supporting industrialisation.
On multilateral cooperation, the two parties reaffirmed their readiness to continue supporting each other on issues of mutual interest at the international level, reflecting their shared vision of deeper strategic collaboration and inclusive global development. (GSF)
