Nigeria and China have signed a strategic cooperation agreement aimed at expanding collaboration in film, broadcasting, digital media and the creative economy. The agreement was signed between China Movie Channel (CMC) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) during the Nigeria-China Film and Interactive Symposium in Abuja. Officials from both countries said the partnership would support content co-production, programme exchange, professional training, technology transfer and wider international distribution of Nigerian and Chinese creative works. Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, said the agreement would strengthen mutual understanding between the people of both countries through literature, film and cultural exchange. He noted that China and Nigeria were major global players in the creative industry, with China producing more than 700 films annually and Nigeria’s Nollywood remaining the world’s second-largest film industry. “Today’s event marks an important step in advancing the Global Civilisation Initiative and building a community with a shared future,” Mr Yu said. He said the agreement would provide an important platform for enhancing friendship and cultural cooperation between China and Nigeria. The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Abdulkarim Ibrahim, said the agreement reflected the growing cultural partnership between Nigeria and China. He said the cooperation would create opportunities for knowledge sharing, skills development and greater global visibility for the creative industries of both countries. “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,” he said. The permanent secretary added that Nigeria was implementing policies to unlock the potential of the creative and cultural industries as drivers of economic growth, job creation and national development. The NTA Director-General, Salihu Dembos, described the agreement as the beginning of a new chapter in Nigeria-China relations. “This event represents much more than the formal signing of a document. It marks the beginning of a promising new chapter in the enduring relationship between Nigeria and China,” he said. He said the partnership would provide a platform for joint productions, professional training and technology exchange, while helping Nigerian filmmakers, broadcasters and young creative talents reach new international audiences. “We regard this agreement not merely as an institutional partnership, but as a bridge between two great civilisations,” Mr Dembos said.
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