Nigeria and China have signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation in film and broadcasting through content exchange, co-productions and professional training.
The agreement between the China Movie Channel and the Nigerian Television Authority was signed on Friday during the China-Nigeria Film and Literature Symposium at the China Cultural Centre in Abuja.
The partnership is expected to create opportunities for filmmakers and broadcasters from both countries to exchange programmes, share technical expertise, develop professional skills and increase the distribution of their creative works.
Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, said the agreement would deepen cultural ties between the two countries as they mark 55 years of diplomatic relations.
He noted that China produces more than 700 films annually and has over 93,000 cinema screens, while Nigeria’s Nollywood produces more than 2,000 films each year.
Dunhai also highlighted the growing exchange of literature between both countries, noting that works by Nigerian authors such as Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie have gained readership in China.
Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Abdulkarim Ibrahim, said the agreement would support co-productions, knowledge sharing, technology transfer and skills development.
He added that stronger partnerships in the creative sector could help Nigeria create jobs, grow its economy and give local talents greater international exposure.
NTA Director-General, Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos, described the agreement as a new chapter in Nigeria-China relations, saying the partnership should lead to practical results, including joint productions, improved professional capacity and greater technological innovation.
Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors, Abuja Chapter, Chukwudi Eze, said film and literature could play an important role in strengthening cultural diplomacy and helping people from both countries understand one another.
The symposium featured discussions involving writers, filmmakers and broadcasters from Nigeria and China on ways to expand cooperation in film, literature, broadcasting and digital media.
The event also featured a screening of the Chinese film Blades of the Guardians.
