Dunoma Umar Ahmed has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening relations with China following a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Abuja.
During the meeting held at Tafawa Balewa House on Tuesday, Ahmed described the long-standing relationship between both countries as one built on mutual respect, non-interference and shared development goals. He commended China’s support for Nigeria in key sectors such as infrastructure, energy, trade and human capacity development.
Ambassador Yu said relations between both nations had continued to expand, with trade volume exceeding 28 billion dollars in recent years. He noted that the partnership had developed into a comprehensive strategic relationship marked by political trust and mutually beneficial cooperation.
The envoy also pointed to several ongoing and completed Chinese-backed projects in Nigeria, including port development, industrial parks and hydropower schemes, which he said had contributed to economic growth and employment.
Both sides stressed the need to sustain high-level engagements and intergovernmental consultations to deepen cooperation in critical sectors. Yu further disclosed that discussions were ongoing on new economic partnership arrangements, including trade facilitation and tariff measures designed to boost Nigeria’s exports and industrialisation.
On global issues, Nigeria and China pledged continued support for one another in international affairs. The Chinese government commended Nigeria’s support for the One-China Policy, while Nigeria reaffirmed its foreign policy principles of non-alignment, peaceful coexistence and respect for international law.
The two officials also discussed current global challenges and agreed that developing countries must work more closely to promote peace, stability and fairer global governance.
Ahmed assured the Chinese ambassador that Nigeria would continue to provide an enabling environment for foreign investment, adding that the country’s foreign policy remains guided by its national interest.
Both countries expressed optimism about the future of bilateral relations and agreed to explore new areas of cooperation for the benefit of their citizens.