From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Chinese government, has said it remains committed to advancing Chinese education and cultural exchange initiatives in Nigeria.
The Deputy Director of the China Cultural Center in Nigeria, Liu Zhanping, stated this at an event held in Abuja to celebrate the 2025 International Chinese Language Day hosted by the Embassy of China in Nigeria.
Liu also said China is willing to work together with Nigeria to take practical measures to promote mutual learning between civilizations, deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and write a new chapter in the China-Nigeria friendship.
He further said International Chinese Language Day is a shared festival for Chinese language enthusiasts worldwide, carrying the important mission of promoting the Chinese language and facilitating cultural exchanges.
“In the era of globalization, as a vital window for the world to understand China, the Chinese language has seen its international influence continue to grow. The Chinese side remains committed to advancing Chinese education and cultural exchange initiatives in Nigeria, and is willing to work together with the Nigerian side to take practical measures to promote mutual learning between civilizations, deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and write a new chapter in China-Nigeria friendship,” Liu said.
Over 250 participants attended the event, including the Director of the Education Support Services Department of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs. Larai Nana Ahmed Musa; the Director/Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Secondary Education Board, Dr Muhammed Sani Ladan, including teachers and students from China Corner School, representatives from Chinese-funded enterprises and the media.
Speaking further, Liu stressed that the Chinese language is not merely a tool for communication, but a bridge connecting cultures and hearts.
“The China Cultural Center has been dedicated to advancing Chinese education and cultural exchange in Nigeria since its establishment.
“The centre offers diverse courses tailored to all proficiency levels, ages, and professions, with professional and passionate instructors providing high-quality teaching.
“The center’s cultural activities such as calligraphy exhibitions, traditional opera performances, and martial arts demonstrations, immerse participants in China’s artistic heritage, deepening both linguistic skills and mutual understanding,” he added.
Liu expressed the hope that every Chinese language enthusiast would gain knowledge, joy, and continued inspiration to write their own extraordinary chapters in the linguistic adventure.
Also speaking, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Ugochi Nwakaego Akudo-Nwosu, said language is more than just a tool for communication.
Akudo-Nwosu who was represented by an Assistant Director in the Ministry, Nseno Sunday Emiem, also said language is the soul of a people, the vessel of their history and the bridge that connects civilizations.
She further said Nigeria and China share a long-standing relationship built on mutual respect, economic collaboration and cultural affinity.
“From the ancient trade routes that connected Africa and Asia to the modern-day Belt and Road Initiative, our nations have continually found ways to learn from each other and grow together.
“The Chinese language, with its profound history and global relevance, has become a key instrument in strengthening these ties.
“Just as Mandarin opens doors to China’s vast economic and technological advancements, Nigeria’s indigenous languages – over 500 of them – hold the keys to our heritage, wisdom and creative expressions,” Akudo-Nwosu said.
In her remarks, Musa said language is the principal method of human communication, consisting of words used in a structured and conventional way and conveyed by speech, writing, or gesture.
“Chinese is a group of languages spoken natively by the ethnic Han Chinese majority and many minority ethnic groups in China, as well as by various communities of the Chinese diaspora.
“Approximately 1.39 billion people, or 17 percent of the global population, speak a variety of Chinese as their first language. Interestingly, the population of the Chinese people has made the language the highest spoken language that her people have become friendly with the rest of the world to share the value of togetherness,” Musa said.