China and Nigeria strengthen ties through culinary diplomacy and trade

China and Nigeria have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cultural diplomacy and economic cooperation during the China-Nigeria Food Festival in Abuja. The event, themed ‘From Farm to Feast,’ aimed to use culinary exchange to foster deeper people-to-people relations as the two nations mark the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.

Chinese Chargé d’Affaires Zhou Hongyou highlighted the growing economic momentum between the nations, noting that bilateral trade reached $18 billion in the first half of the year, a 35 percent year-on-year increase. He specifically noted that China imported approximately $2.3 billion worth of goods from Nigeria during this period, representing an 80 percent increase compared to the previous year.

To further promote shared prosperity, Zhou emphasized China’s zero-tariff policy for African countries with diplomatic relations, offering Nigeria increased opportunities to expand exports to the Chinese market. Both nations expressed intent to implement the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit and the Global Civilization Initiative to advance high-quality development.