From December 23 2024, Nigerian mainstream media Guardian, Vanguard, This Day, the Sun, the Nation, and local Chinese newpapers West Africa Chinese Newspaper, West Africa Chinese Newspapers, West Africa Business Weekly published an Op-Ed article written by Consul General of China in Lagos Ms. Yan Yuqing, with the theme of China and Nigeria Joining Hands to Write a Glorious Chapter of Friendly Cooperation in 2024.
The full text is as follows:
China and Nigeria Join Hands to Write a Glorious Chapter of Friendly Cooperation in 2024
By Ms. Yan Yuqing,
Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos
In 2024, the world witnessed further transformation and instability, marked by the rapid rise of the Global South. In this year, China and Nigeria have consistently supported each other, fostering mutual benefits and achieving win-win outcomes. Together, we have written a remarkable chapter of friendship and cooperation, striving for shared development and progress.
As we approach the close of 2024, I’d like to take a moment to reflect with friends from all walks of life in Nigeria on the journey we have shared throughout the year.
On June 21, 2024, Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria Yusuf Tuggar, co-chaired the first Plenary Session of the China-Nigeria Intergovernmental Committee. The two sides agreed that over the past more than 50 years, China and Nigeria have developed a good tradition of mutual trust on political and diplomatic issues, mutual benefit in practical cooperation, mutual support in international affairs, and mutual learning in people-to-people exchanges.
On September 3, 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was in China for the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and a state visit in Beijing. The two sides issued a Joint Statement between the People’s Republic of China and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Establishing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and Building a High-level China-Nigeria Community with a Shared Future. The two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of a number of bilateral cooperation documents on the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation plan, promoting the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, economic development, application of the Beidou Navigation Satellite System, peanut exports to China, and news media, among other fields, successfully opening a new chapter in the development of China-Nigeria relations.
Over the past year, under the guidance of the leaders of China and Nigeria, and with the support of friends from all sectors in both countries, the Chinese Consulate General in Lagos has worked hand in hand with various partners with insight, to advance and deepen the consular district’s cooperation with China, which has yielded significant achievements in economic and trade relations, local interactions, and people-to-people exchanges, contributing to the enhancement and upgrade of the China-Nigeria Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
-Economic and Trade Cooperation Continues to Deepen.
As of October this year, the bilateral trade volume between China and Nigeria has exceeded USD 17.1 billion, and the structure of bilateral trade continues to be improved. Tens of thousands of Nigerian businessmen have actively participated in such important economic and trade fairs as the Canton Trade Fair and the China International Import Expo. The 2024 China Commodities Expo Nigeria, and the 2024 China International Building Materials and Hardware Tools (Nigeria) Brand Show, have made wonderful appearances in Lagos. The Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI), Chinese Entrepreneurs Community in Lagos, China Industry and Commerce Enterprises Association (CICEA) and others play an active role in promoting economic and trade cooperation between China and Nigeria. The Lekki Free Trade Zone, Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone and other China-Nigeria jointly-built free trade zones and industrial parks have been revitalized. Chinese enterprises based in these zones and parks have created a strong “Chinese brand card” with their high-quality products and services, generating tens of thousands of jobs for local community and putting a vivid footnote for the common development and prosperity of both China and Nigeria through Made in Nigeria.
Over the past year, China and Nigeria have achieved a lot in the field of infrastructure and engineering contracting. In January this year, I had the honor to witness the largest container ship in Nigeria’s history docking at Lekki Deep-sea Port. This marks the largest deep-sea port in West Africa, built by the Chinese company, as a new global “business card” for Nigeria. And in February, I witnessed the launching ceremony of the first phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line Project and the signing of the agreement on its second phase, which once again demonstrated that the Nigerian side had the same trust in Chinese-funded enterprises as in the past. In May, the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Nigeria (CCECC Nigeria) completed the urgent repair of the Third Mainland Bridge’s damaged loops and ramps, fully demonstrating China’s solution, China’s speed and China’s quality. China and Nigeria have jointly promoted a series of other major infrastructure and engineering contracting projects, such as the Lagos-Ibadan Railway and the new terminal project of Lagos International Airport, which are vivid cases and epitomes of China and Nigeria’s high-quality Belt and Road cooperation for mutual benefits and win-win situation.
- Local Interactions Are Bearing Fruit.
The consular district of the Chinese Consulate General in Lagos covers 20 states in the southern part of Nigeria, which are economically developed, rich in natural resources and have broad prospects for development. Over this year, in addition to promoting the deepening of economic and trade, education, medical and health cooperation between Lagos State and China’s Jiangxi Province and Qingdao City, I have also visited Ogun State several times and traveled to Edo State, Ekiti State, Ondo State and Cross River State. By strengthening cooperation in industrialization, agricultural modernization and talent develpoment, we have deepened the sister city relationships between Edo State and Fuzhou City, and Ondo State and Linyi City. We are also actively facilitating connections, to help Ekiti State and Cross River State to find Chinese partner provinces or cities.
-People-to-people Exchanges Showcase a Variety of Highlights.
Over the past year, we have celebrated the Chinese New Year, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, as well as Women’s Day, Children’s Day, Christmas and other holidays with friends from all walks of life in the consular district. Nigerian performers from the Chinese Huaxing (meaning the Chinese Star) Art Troupe vividly demonstrated the integration and mutual appreciation of Chinese and Nigerian cultures with their unique performances, such as the Dragon Dance, Lion Dance, Kungfu Show, Waist Drums, and the Nigerian style three major folk dances of the Yoruba-Igbo-Hausa. We also co-organized with the local Chinese community to hold the 2nd Nigerian Children’s Drawing Competition, and Chinese Song Competition and other events, and joined hands with the International Women’s Society (IWS) in Lagos to make Chinese contributions to the “Small World” and “Smaller World” charity fund-raising activities.
Over the past year, we have worked closely with the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), the University of Port Harcourt and others, facilitating direct dialogues between Chinese and Nigerian counterparts and expanding the space for academic research. We have established the Lagos Forum in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), the Africa China Economy Magazine, and the Institute of African Studies in Zhejiang Normal University. We have built the “Window to China” Book Corner at the NIIA. These initiatives provide a vital platform for academic exchanges between Chinese and Nigerian scholars and offer more Nigerian friends an opportunity to gain deeper insights into a real China.
Over the past year, Chinese language education has flourished within the consular district. Alongside the two Confucius Institutes at the UNILAG and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, which continue to develop Chinese language talents in Nigeria, I am delighted to see the successful launch of Africa’s first online Chinese Language classroom in Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone. Additionally, students from Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, have embarked on their academic journey to Fuzhou Polytechnic in China. During a discussion with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, I’m pleased to learn that the university is planning to introduce Chinese language education in the near future.
This year marks the second year that the Chinese Consulate General, in collaboration with the overseas Chinese community represented by the Nigerian Huaxing Art Troupe, has carried out the “Renewed Hope, Rebirth from the Light” charity project to finance cataract sufferers in Nigeria. This project has enabled over 300 cataract patients in Nigeria to regain their eyesight. Additionally, the ICT Center at Akodo Community Primary School in Lekki, Lagos, jointly built by the Consulate General and the Lekki Free Trade Zone, was completed in just three months with exceptional quality, opening a gateway to information technology for thousands of secondary school students. Over the past year, Chinese enterprises and the overseas Chinese community in Nigeria have actively contributed to the local society in various meaningful ways, further strengthening the China-Nigeria community with a shared future.
When I recently met with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State, I was deeply impressed by the African proverb quoted by His Excellency: “The right hand washing the left hand and the left hand washing the right hand makes both hands clean”. This beautifully illustrates the essence of the China-Nigeria relationship — mutual recognition, mutual trust, and win-win cooperation. Let’s continue working hand in hand to write an inspiring new chapter of friendship and cooperation between China and Nigeria in 2025!