- Nigeria and China have signed a new film cooperation agreement
- The deal will promote content exchange and co-productions
- Both countries will strengthen training and cultural exchanges
Nigeria and China have moved to expand cooperation in the creative sector following a new agreement between the China Movie Channel (CMC) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the deal was signed on Friday during the China-Nigeria Film and Literature Symposium at the China Cultural Centre in Abuja, with stakeholders from both countries identifying film and literature as important avenues for strengthening cultural relations.
EDITOR’S PICK
- APC Youth Wing Opens Applications for 2026 Zacch Adedeji Taxation, Fiscal Policy Fellowship
- ‘Make Him President, Let’s See If Nigerians Become Millionaires’ – Presidency Mocks Obi
- Super Falcons Shift Focus to Zambia Clash After Malawi Defeat
The partnership is expected to promote the sharing of television and film content, joint productions, professional development, technical cooperation and exchanges between creative professionals in both countries.
Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, described the agreement as a significant development in the relationship between the two nations, which are marking 55 years of diplomatic relations.
Dunhai said the initiative would give filmmakers and other creative practitioners from Nigeria and China more opportunities to work together and gain a better understanding of each other’s cultures.
He also pointed to the size of both countries’ entertainment industries. According to him, China has more than 93,000 cinema screens and produces over 700 films annually, while Nigeria’s Nollywood produces more than 2,000 films each year.
The ambassador noted that cultural links between the countries extend beyond cinema, with works by Nigerian writers including Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie gaining readership in China. He added that translated Chinese literature and web novels were also attracting Nigerian readers.
He linked the renewed cultural cooperation to the elevation of Nigeria-China relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership at the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.
Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Abdulkarim Ibrahim, said the agreement could open new doors for Nigerian creatives through joint productions, training, knowledge exchange and technology transfer.
He added that such international partnerships could help Nigeria’s creative sector generate employment, strengthen skills and increase the global reach of local talents.
NTA Director-General, Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos, described the agreement as a new phase in the relationship between the two countries. He said its success should be measured through tangible results, including quality productions, improved professional skills, technological advancement and wider distribution of content.
Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors, Abuja Chapter, Chukwudi Eze, said cultural collaboration was essential to building stronger international relationships.
Eze also praised the Chinese Embassy for supporting Nigerian scholars Razinat Mohammed and Emeka Aniagolu on a literary and cultural exchange visit to China.
The symposium brought together writers, filmmakers, broadcasters and other creative professionals for discussions on expanding cooperation across film, literature, broadcasting and digital media.
The event also featured a screening of the Chinese film Blades of the Guardians.
FURTHER READING
