China, Nigeria Deepen Diplomatic Ties With Food Festival, Showcase Rich Culinary Heritage.

By Ferdinand Olise

China and Nigeria have showcased their rich cultural heritages, further affirming the deep bilateral and economic ties that have existed between both countries fir over 50 years.

At the Nigeria-China Food Festival held in Abuja, both countries reaffirmed their commitments towards strengthening cultural, economic and people-to-people relations.

In his welcome address, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Mr. Zhou Hongyou, underscored how rich China and Nigeria are in their ancient civilizations in their rich and magnificent culinary cultures.

He said through this event, friends from both countries can enjoy the charm and warmth of each other’s cultures, using food to build understanding and culture to strengthen friendship.

“Both China and Nigeria are ancient civilizations boasting of rich and magnificent culinary cultures. There is an old Chinese saying: “Food is a top priority to the people, for the people, and the countries are based on the people.” Food is at the heart of our daily life. Every dish carries a nation’s history, and every flavor tells the story of people’s love for their home and their lives.

“Today, we bring Chinese and Nigerian cuisines together. This is not just a feast for our taste buds—it is also a conversation and a meeting of our cultures.

“Throughout these significant years, China and Nigeria have promoted mutual learning between our cultures and closer people-to-people ties through deeper exchanges in education, culture, the arts, sports, and youth affairs. Looking ahead, China is ready to work with Nigeria to implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and the Global Civilization Initiative. Our goal is clear: to strengthen people-to-people connections, pass our friendship on to the next generations, and achieve shared development and prosperity through practical cooperation”, he said.

On his part, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, Dr. aare-Abisoye Fagade, said this festival provides a platform for Nigerians and Chinese to connect through cuisine, music, arts, crafts and hospitality, and also reflects the broader potential of bilateral relationship of both countries.

“Nigeria possesses an extraordinary culinary heritage, from jollof rice and pounded yam to our diverse soups, spices, grains, seafood and indigenous delicacies. These resources provide a strong foundation for a globally recognised food-tourism industry.

“Our task is to package, standardise, promote and commercialise this heritage while preserving its authenticity. Partnerships such as this festival are essential to achieving that goal.

“I commend the China Cultural Centre and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China for partnering with NIHOTOUR to make this event possible”, he said.

The Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, who was represented the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Abulkarim Ibrahim, said over five and a half decades, the relationship between the both countries has grown from diplomatic ties into a comprehensive strategic partnership, encompassing trade, infrastructure, education, technology, culture and people-to-people exchanges, emphasizing that the cultural dimension of this relationship is especially important.

“This celebration is particularly significant because 2026 marks 55 years of formal diplomatic relations between Nigeria and China, established on 10 February 1971. Over these five and a half decades, our relationship has grown from diplomatic ties into a comprehensive strategic partnership, encompassing trade, infrastructure, education, technology, culture and people-to-people exchanges. The cultural dimension of this relationship is especially important.

“Nigerian music, film and literature have increasingly found audiences in China, while Chinese language, arts, martial arts and other cultural expressions have gained growing appreciation in Nigeria. These exchanges demonstrate that friendship between nations is strengthened not only in boardrooms and diplomatic meetings, but also through culture, creativity and shared human experiences.

“The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy recognizes the enormous potential of these sectors to drive economic growth, create jobs and strengthen Nigeria’s global influence. Since its establishment in 2024, the Ministry has been working to provide stronger policy direction, improve the creative and cultural ecosystem, promote tourism, strengthen investment opportunities and position Nigeria’s rich heritage as an important economic asset. We are also strengthening the foundations of the creative economy through policy and financing frameworks, stakeholder engagement and institutional reforms, with ambitious targets for increased contribution to national output and the creation of opportunities for our young people”, said.

This year marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Nigeria. Both countries have respected and supported each other, and have continued to deepen their mutually beneficial cooperation.

The event with the theme, “From Farm to Feast”, which featured different foods delicacies from both countries, displays of different cultural heritages, brought together tourists, cultural stakeholders, culinary experts, government officials from both countries to grace the occasion.