By Ayomide Otitoju
The Director-General of the Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), Mr. Joseph Tegbe, has met with a high-level delegation from the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria to reaffirm commitments to strengthening bilateral relations between both countries.
The delegation was led by Mr. Zhou Hongyou, Charge d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, and included Mr. Wang Yingqi, Minister Counsellor for Economic and Commercial Affairs, alongside other senior embassy officials.
During the meeting, Mr. Tegbe reiterated Nigeria’s firm commitment to its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with China and restated Nigeria’s adherence to the One-China principle. He outlined Nigeria’s ambitious plan to significantly expand bilateral trade, targeting a trade volume of 350 billion RMB (about $50 billion) by 2030, with Nigerian exports accounting for at least 30 per cent of the total. According to him, the target would be driven by the implementation of a zero-tariff policy and increased export of agricultural produce, alongside broader strategic economic collaboration to support sustainable growth for Nigerian businesses.
In his remarks, Mr. Zhou expressed satisfaction with the steady growth in Nigeria–China relations and called for the exploration of additional opportunities to deepen economic and commercial cooperation, particularly in technology, agriculture, and human capacity development. He noted that the zero-tariff agreement is expected to open up significant opportunities for Nigerian businesses, enhance trade flows, and further consolidate the partnership between the two countries.
The Chinese Embassy also pledged support for Nigeria’s industrialisation agenda, with particular emphasis on steel development and agriculture, while reaffirming its commitment to ongoing development projects across the country. The embassy said these efforts align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
On behalf of the Nigerian government and people, Mr. Tegbe congratulated the Chinese people ahead of the Chinese Spring Festival marking the Lunar New Year. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s resolve to deepen cultural, diplomatic, and economic ties with the People’s Republic of China in pursuit of a more robust, sustainable, and mutually beneficial partnership.
