Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, says Content Exchange and Cooperation Agreement between China Movie Channel (CMC) and Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) will deepen mutual understanding and people-to-people ties between China and Nigeria.
He made this known on Friday at the China-Nigeria Film and Literature Symposium and signing ceremony of the CMC-NTA Strategic Cooperation Agreement in Abuja.
Yu described literature and film as powerful expressions of human civilisation capable of documenting history, social transformation, human emotions and people’s aspirations.
“Through their unique narrative styles and audiovisual languages, literature and film vividly document the course of human history, social transformations, the full spectrum of human emotions, and reflections on the future,” he said.
He said both countries possessed rich literary and cinematic traditions, noting that Nigerian writers such as Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Adichie had portrayed the experiences and aspirations of Nigerians through their works.
Yu further said Chinese authors including Mo Yan, Yu Hua and Mai Jia had similarly explored traditional culture, society and the philosophy of life.
“Works such as A History of Nigerian Literature and Chinese editions of classics by Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe have had a widespread impact in China, while English translations of many Chinese web novels have won the hearts of many young readers in Nigeria,” he said.
The envoy said China and Nigeria were both major players globally, noting that China had more than 93,000 cinema screens and produced over 700 films annually, while Nigeria’s Nollywood produced more than 2,000 films annually.
“Chinese films like My People, My Country, Shenzhou 13 and The Dumpling Queen have been screened in Nigeria to great acclaim, while Nigerian films such as Lionheart, Mai Mataba and October 1 have offered Chinese audiences a window into Nigerian culture and national spirit,” he said.
Yu said the CMC-NTA agreement would provide a platform for greater cooperation among professionals in the film and television sectors.
“This agreement creates a vital platform for enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between our two peoples,” he said.
He linked the initiative to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Global Civilisation Initiative.
The Chinese envoy explained that it was particularly significant as 2026 marked the 55th anniversary of China-Nigeria diplomatic relations and the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.
“China will continue to work with Nigeria to build a community with a shared future for mankind,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Salihu Dembos, Director-General, NTA, described the agreement as more than a formal signing, saying it marked a new chapter in the relationship between both countries.
“We believe that this is more than just a formal signing of a document.
“It marks the beginning of a promising new chapter in the enduring relationship between Nigeria and China,” Dembos said.
He said the agreement would support content co-production, programme exchange, professional training, technology transfer and wider distribution of Nigerian and Chinese creative works.
“The CMC-NTA Strategic Cooperation Agreement will provide a strong platform for content co-production, programme exchange, professional training, technology transfer and the wider distribution of Nigerian and Chinese creative works,” he said.
Dembos said the partnership aligned with NTA’s transformation into a modern, competitive and digitally-driven public broadcaster.
Mr Abdulkarim Ibrahim, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, described the agreement as an important milestone in cultural diplomacy and creative industry collaboration.
“Today’s symposium and the strategic cooperation between China Movie Channel and the Nigerian Television Authority represent an important milestone in advancing collaboration in film, broadcasting, digital media, and the wider creative economy,” Ibrahim said.
He said the partnership would create opportunities for knowledge-sharing, co-productions, skills development, technological innovation and greater global visibility for creative talents from both countries.
Mrs Guan Hong, Deputy General Manager, China Intercontinental Press and Media Co. Ltd., said the event sought to translate the mutual appreciation between the two civilisations into practical cooperation.
“China and Nigeria are both nations with rich histories and splendid civilisation.
“So today, we gather with a shared aspiration to translate the profound mutual appreciation between our civilisations to tangible cooperation,” Guan said.
She also said that future cooperation would focus on areas including film co-production, literary translation and youth dialogue.
“Taking today’s event as a new starting point, we look forward to working hand-in-hand with all of you to further advance practical cooperation between China and Nigeria,” she said.
NAN reports that the symposium brought together government officials, filmmakers, writers, broadcasters and scholars to discuss the role of literature and film in strengthening mutual understanding.
The event also featured the screening of the Chinese film, Blades of the Guardians.(NAN
