Nigeria, China To Hold High-Level Political Talks In July

The federal government and the People’s Republic of China are set to convene a high-level political consultation in July 2026 as both countries move to deepen their comprehensive strategic partnership and expand cooperation across key sectors of the economy.

This was disclosed in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa.

According to the statement, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with China, describing the partnership as “one of immense importance to Nigeria’s foreign policy and economic development objectives.”

Ambassador Ahmed made the remarks during a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, where both sides discussed preparations for the forthcoming political consultation and the Nigeria-China Sub-Committee Meeting.

He stressed the importance of sustained dialogue and closer coordination between both countries ahead of the engagements, noting that the meetings would help align priorities and deepen cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

The Chinese ambassador, Yu Dunhai, in his remarks, reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to strengthening its comprehensive strategic partnership with Nigeria. He said the July consultations would review the implementation of agreements reached during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to China in September 2024, as well as subsequent bilateral engagements.

Yu highlighted what he described as notable progress in Nigeria-China relations, particularly in infrastructure development, trade, industrialisation, power generation, and railway modernisation.

He also commended China’s zero-tariff policy for eligible Nigerian exports, which took effect on May 1, 2026, noting that it had already begun boosting Nigerian exports to the Chinese market. According to him, the policy is expected to further stimulate investment, industrial growth, and job creation in Nigeria.

Beyond economic cooperation, the envoy expressed China’s readiness to expand collaboration with Nigeria in areas including regional peace and security, counter-terrorism, artificial intelligence governance, education, cultural diplomacy, and youth development.

Yu further acknowledged efforts by the federal government and Nigerian security agencies in addressing security challenges affecting foreign nationals and investments, stressing the need for sustained measures to ensure a safe and conducive business environment.

In his response, Ambassador Ahmed reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to the One-China Policy and pledged deeper cooperation in key sectors such as industrialisation, agriculture, ICT, transportation, education, healthcare, and human capital development.

He also reaffirmed the government’s focus on promoting value addition, manufacturing, and technology-driven growth as part of its broader economic transformation agenda.

Both countries restated their commitment to continuous consultations and stronger bilateral cooperation, expressing confidence that the Nigeria-China strategic partnership would continue to expand in the years ahead.