The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, OON, met with the Chinese Governor of Hunan Province, His Excellency Mao Weiming, in Changsha for high-level discussions aimed at deepening collaboration and establishing a friendship Province-State relationship between Nigeria and Hunan Province at both federal and sub-national levels.
During the meeting, Tuggar conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s deep commitment to agriculture and food security as pillars of Nigeria’s national stability. The discussions identified key areas for mutual cooperation, including seed technology improvement, agricultural processing, and enhanced provision of agricultural machinery.
“Hunan has a profound historical heritage and a vibrant economy. The province is an important strategic region for Nigeria in developing its friendly relationship with China”, Amb Tuggar stated during the meeting. The minister further reiterated Nigeria’s willingness to strengthen communication and cooperation with Hunan in the fields of agriculture, infrastructure construction, culture, and tourism, as well as in the establishment of special economic zones. Tuggar also called for jointly advancing the full implementation of the outcomes achieved at the FOCAC Beijing Summit, so as to boost the everlasting friendship between the two countries.
Governor Mao Weiming stated that although Hunan and Nigeria are thousands of miles apart, both sides share a long history of friendly exchanges. In his words, “both Nigeria and Hunan Province have a good foundation and broad prospects for cooperation in agriculture, construction machinery, and other sectors”. He noted that from January to April of this year, the import and export volume between Hunan and Nigeria amounted to 220 million USD, of which imports from Nigeria increased by 92% year on year.
The governor expressed the hope that both sides may jointly implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), further deepening communication and exchanges. “Efforts should be made to actively build a collaboration that highlights economy and trade while ushering in prosperity in such fields as modern agriculture, infrastructure, healthcare and cultural tourism. We should promote alignment in resources, mutual integration of industries, and common development for mutual benefit, contributing to the China-Nigeria comprehensive strategic partnership”, Governor Mao added.
Both parties also explored opportunities for Chinese investment in Nigeria’s agricultural value chain and industrial sectors, positioning Nigeria as a strategic gateway to the broader African market. Other focal points included technology transfer, cultural exchange, and skills development—underscoring a shared vision of sustainable growth and mutual prosperity.
