Food took centre stage in efforts to deepen Nigeria-China relations on Thursday as officials from both countries used a food festival in Abuja to promote cultural exchange, tourism, hospitality and economic cooperation.
The Nigeria-China Food Festival, held at the China Cultural Centre in Abuja, brought together government officials, diplomats, hospitality professionals, cultural practitioners and other stakeholders to showcase the culinary traditions of both countries.
The event, themed “From Farm to Feast,” featured authentic Nigerian and Chinese cuisines, cultural performances, live music, arts and crafts, providing an avenue for participants to experience the culture and traditions of both countries through food.
Speaking at the festival, Zhou Hongyou, Chargé d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, said food could serve as a bridge for greater understanding and friendship between Nigeria and China.
“Today we are bringing Chinese and Nigerian cuisines together. It is not just a feast for our taste buds, but it is also a conversation and a meeting of all cultures,” Zhou said.
He said the festival was significant as Nigeria and China marked 55 years of formal diplomatic relations, noting that their relationship had expanded to include trade, education, technology, culture and people-to-people exchanges.
Zhou also highlighted the growth in bilateral trade, disclosing that China imported nearly $2.3 billion worth of goods from Nigeria in the first half of 2026, an increase of almost 80 per cent compared with the same period in 2025.
He added that total trade between both countries reached $18 billion, representing a 75 per cent year-on-year increase.
The Chinese diplomat further said China’s zero-tariff policy for African countries with diplomatic relations with Beijing could provide Nigeria with an opportunity to increase its exports to the Chinese market.
“This is a great chance for Nigeria to expand exports to China,” he said.
The Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Abdulkarim Ozi Ibrahim, said Nigeria’s culinary heritage had significant potential to drive tourism and economic development.
Ibrahim said food and beverages constituted the largest subsector of Nigeria’s tourism economy, while culinary experiences were increasingly influencing domestic travel.
“Gastronomy is tourism,” he said.
He said the Federal Government was strengthening the creative economy through policy and financing frameworks, stakeholder engagement and institutional reforms to promote tourism, attract investment and create opportunities for young Nigerians.
The minister called for increased Nigeria-China cooperation in gastronomy, tourism, hospitality, culinary education and creative entrepreneurship.
“Let us use food to open new doors of cooperation in gastronomy, tourism, hospitality, cultural exchanges, culinary education, and creative entrepreneurship,” he said.
The Director-General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Aare Abisoye Fagade, said the festival demonstrated the connection between food, culture, tourism and economic opportunity.
He said the “From Farm to Feast” theme represented the journey from farmers and producers to chefs and consumers, while highlighting the economic value of Nigeria’s culinary heritage.
“Today’s celebration is about food, but it’s also about culture, friendship, and opportunity,” Fagade said.
He said Nigeria possessed a rich culinary heritage that could support a globally recognised food tourism industry if properly packaged, standardised, promoted and commercialised.
“Our task is to package, standardise, promote, and commercialise this heritage while preserving the authenticity,” he said.
The Director-General and Artistic Director/CEO of the National Troupe of Nigeria, Hajia Kaltume Bulama Gana, said cultural collaboration between both countries could further strengthen mutual understanding.
Gana highlighted a joint performance by Nigerian and Chinese artistes featuring traditional Nigerian drums and Chinese percussion instruments.
“For the first time, the National Troupe has come into this partnership where there is a joint performance of the National Troupe of Nigeria performing with the Chinese percussions and our own indigenous drums,” she said.
She expressed hope that the partnership would lead to more reciprocal cultural exchanges, including performances by Nigerian artistes in China.
Former NIHOTOUR Director-General, Alhaji Munzali Dantata, also called for stronger Nigeria-China cooperation, particularly in education and cultural exchange.
Dantata recalled his experience studying in Beijing about 40 years ago and said he had witnessed significant changes in China’s development.
“See how, within 30 years, the country has changed,” he said.
The festival featured 14 Chinese dishes from seven regions of China and traditional Nigerian dishes from the six geopolitical zones, including jollof rice, pounded yam, tuwon shinkafa, masa, fura da nono, amala, Ofada rice, abacha and ugba, and eba with edikang-ikong soup.
Organisers said the event was designed to use food, culture and creative expression to strengthen Nigeria-China relations and create new opportunities in tourism, hospitality, cultural enterprise and trade.