Abuja: Observers say that China-Nigeria diplomatic relations recorded significant consolidation in 2025. The two countries’ engagements in 2025, they noted, have laid a solid foundation for sustained, healthy, and stable development of bilateral relations, going forward. During the year under review, bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, culture, and people-to-people exchange delivered tangible outcomes. These outcomes have reinforced the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between both countries.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, over the past year, exchanges and visits at the local level became more frequent, injecting continuous momentum into bilateral relations. The two sides consistently supported each other on issues concerning core interests and major concerns such as sovereignty and territorial integrity. China supported Nigeria’s efforts to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests, as well as to promote economic growth and improve people’s livelihoods. Nigeria firmly adhered to the One-China principle and steadfastly supports the Chinese government’s endeavors to achieve national reunification.
In the areas of trade, China-Nigeria trade has grown steadily, and investment and construction cooperation have been upgraded in both scale and quality. In the first ten months of 2025, bilateral trade reached 22.3 billion U.S. dollars, surpassing the total trade volume of 2024 and representing a year-on-year increase of over 30 percent. China’s direct investment in Nigeria amounted to 670 million dollars, up 130 percent year-on-year, demonstrating the strong resilience and broad prospects of economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.
Cooperation on major projects also advanced steadily with positive outcomes. The Greater Abuja Water Supply Project has, for instance, been successfully completed. This has effectively addressed safe water access for nearly three million residents in Abuja and significantly improved local living conditions. The Kano-Kaduna Railway Project has secured full financing disbursement, as over half of the construction has been completed. This has laid a solid foundation for enhancing Nigeria’s transport connectivity and promoting regional economic integration.
Over the past year, people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and Nigeria have continued to deepen, with a series of activities delivering highlights. The Chinese language teaching and China introduction program: ‘Nihao! China,’ was officially launched on the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, airing over 20 episodes, each reaching millions of listeners. Brand cultural events such as the ‘Happy Chinese New Year Temple Fair’ and ‘Tea for Harmony: Yaji Cultural Salon,’ have gained wide recognition and are warmly welcomed by local communities. The number of ‘China Corners’ established in public senior secondary schools in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory increased to 15.
Over the past year, the armed forces of the two countries maintained frequent exchanges and steadily deepened practical cooperation. Former Nigerian Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru, for instance, attended the Beijing Xiangshan Forum. Badaru delivered a keynote speech and engaged in close interactions with Chinese and foreign military leaders, further enhancing mutual friendship. Nigeria’s House of Representatives Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, also led a high-level delegation to the 8th China International Import-Expo (CIIE), and held talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
According to the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, 2025 was a crucial year for the development of China-Nigeria relations. He noted that following Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to China in September 2025, the growth of China-Nigeria comprehensive strategic partnership entered a ‘fast lane.’ Yu said the strategic guidance of the two countries’ presidents, and all-round cooperation between the two countries yielded remarkable outcomes, delivering tangible benefits to their peoples.
Development cooperation has always been a key pillar of China-Nigeria collaboration, with notable achievements recorded in human resources development and capacity building. In 2025 alone, China organised various short-term training programmes in China, in which more than 2,000 Nigerian officials, scholars, and technical professionals participated. This made Nigeria the country with the largest number of trainees receiving Chinese training globally.
2026 marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Nigeria, the China-Africa Year of People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges, and the beginning of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan. Yu pledged that China would always maintain close communication with Nigeria, enhance strategic coordination, expand all-round cooperation, achieve more mutual benefits, and advance the China-Nigeria comprehensive strategic partnership to new heights.
Yu expressed confidence that in the new year, the China-Nigeria comprehensive strategic partnership would reach a higher level through their joint efforts. He added that deepening the partnership with Nigeria would write a more splendid chapter in building a high-level China-Nigeria community with a shared future.