Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, hosted Nigerian and Chinese officials on Saturday, 7th February 2026, as both countries marked 55 years of diplomatic ties and restated their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The anniversary was observed during the 2026 “Happy Chinese New Year” Temple Fair at the Chinese Cultural Centre in Abuja. Okay News reports that speakers at the event said the relationship should keep delivering practical benefits to ordinary Nigerians and Chinese citizens.
Mr Joseph Tegbe, the Director-General and Global Liaison of the Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership, a bilateral cooperation platform known as the Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), said Nigeria remains committed to the One-China Principle, a policy that recognises the government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China. He described the policy as the foundation of Nigeria’s long-standing relationship with China.
Tegbe said more than five decades of engagement has moved beyond cordial diplomacy into a partnership that affects citizens in both countries.
“As we welcome the Year of the Horse and mark the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the People’s Republic of China, we are reminded that Nigeria and China share the same spirit of resilience and determination as we gallop forward into a future of deeper cooperation and shared prosperity,” he said.
He pointed to China’s involvement in Nigeria’s infrastructure push, referencing rail projects and the Lekki Deep Sea Port, a major maritime facility in Lagos State in south-west Nigeria. Tegbe linked the momentum to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria’s president, and his visit to President Xi Jinping, China’s president, in Beijing, China’s capital, in September 2024.
“Permit me to highlight a few areas of progress and opportunity. First, I acknowledge the immense contributions of the Government of China and Chinese enterprises to Nigeria’s infrastructural rebirth, from the ongoing rail revolution to landmark projects such as the Lekki Deep Sea Port, among many others that continue to reshape our economic landscape,” he said.
Tegbe also said Nigeria is looking at China’s progress in food security as it rolls out a large poultry programme.
“Second, inspired by China’s remarkable achievements in food security, as observed during NCSP’s engagement visit in 2025, the Federal Government of Nigeria has launched the National Integrated Poultry Project with an initial combined investment of approximately $1,000,000,000. The pilot phase is set to commence in Kaduna, Oyo and Enugu states and will be expanded to other geopolitical zones next year,” he said.
He said the project, once completed, is expected to produce 6,000,000 eggs daily, keep more than 7,000,000 laying birds and more than 2,000,000 broilers, and cultivate over 60,000 hectares of maize and soybeans. He added that beyond providing feedstock for the farms, the plan will support existing farmers through subsidised inputs.
Tegbe said the initiative is not only about food supply but also about livelihoods.
He further announced that Nigeria plans to revive the Ajaokuta Steel Complex, a long-running industrial project in Kogi State in central Nigeria, through cooperation with China. He said the targeted output is 10,000,000 metric tonnes a year.
“Third, the revitalisation of Ajaokuta Steel Complex marks another inspiring chapter in our partnership. Long a symbol of unrealised potential, Ajaokuta is now poised for renewal. A revitalised Ajaokuta will transform Nigeria’s economic trajectory, powering industries, creating jobs and positioning Nigeria as a leading manufacturing and innovation hub in Africa,” he said.
On education and research, Tegbe said Nigeria and China plan to widen their knowledge and academic exchanges.
“Fourth, our Knowledge Exchange and Educational Partnerships continue to open doors for Nigerian students to learn from Chinese institutions while welcoming Chinese scholars to Nigeria. In the year ahead, we seek to deepen cooperation through increased scholarships, joint research and shared innovation, culminating in the development of new industrial parks,” he said.
He said the focus of the partnership should remain people-centred, urging Chinese companies to build local capacity, transfer skills, and pursue shared growth through partnerships in Nigeria.
China’s Chargé d’Affaires in Nigeria, Mr Zhou Hongyou, China’s senior diplomat leading its mission in Nigeria in an acting capacity, said the 55-year relationship has become “a model of South–South cooperation,” meaning cooperation among developing countries, built on mutual respect, equality and what he described as win-win results.
Zhou recalled that both presidents elevated bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership at the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), a major China-Africa diplomatic and economic forum.
He said trade has continued to grow and infrastructure cooperation is moving forward, adding that both sides are in talks on zero-tariff measures to support Nigeria’s modernisation.
Zhou also said 2026 has been designated the “China–Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges,” which he said creates room for deeper cultural, educational and technological cooperation.
He referred to the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the top leadership body of China’s ruling party, saying it recently adopted recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026 to 2030), which outlines China’s development goals for the next five years.
Zhou said the Temple Fair reflects the Global Civilisation Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, which promotes dialogue and mutual learning among cultures. He added that a Chinese-language radio programme, “Ni Hao! China,” has started airing on the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Nigeria’s public radio broadcaster.
He said the two countries have also expanded cooperation in cultural heritage, tourism, education and scientific research.
Both Tegbe and Zhou drew attention to symbolism around the Year of the Horse in the Chinese lunar calendar and the horse on Nigeria’s Coat of Arms, saying the animal represents strength, perseverance and forward movement in both cultures.
“These qualities are precisely the defining characteristics of China–Nigeria relations over the past 55 years,” Zhou said.
The event featured martial arts performances by the Chinese Wushu Association, music and dance presentations by Chinese and Nigerian artists, exhibitions focused on Spring Festival culture and tourism, and interactive cultural displays, which organisers said reflected expanding people-to-people ties.
