The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has pledged Nigeria’s partnership with China to create an environment conducive to the country’s arts and culture growth.

Ms Musawa announced this on Saturday at a New Year gala night celebrating China-Nigeria friendship hosted by the China Cultural Centre in Abuja.

The event underscored the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and China, focusing on mutual interests in cultural collaboration and economic development.

Ms Musawa reflected on the historical ties between China and Nigeria, which date back to 1971 and commended China’s remarkable strides in developing its creative industry.

She emphasised the immense value of the cultural and creative sectors for Nigeria, suggesting that collaboration with China would provide a nurturing environment for artists and cultural practitioners to thrive.

“When President Bola Tinubu took office, he sought to diversify Nigeria’s growth away from oil, petroleum, and gas. The creative industry plays a crucial role in achieving this vision,” she said.

Ms Musawa also highlighted ongoing efforts to develop a comprehensive roadmap for monetising Nigeria’s cultural heritage and creative industries. 

She stressed the importance of sharing resources and expertise, noting that this collaboration could strengthen Nigeria’s local economy and present its rich cultural heritage to a global audience.

Yang Jianxing, cultural counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, also expressed China’s willingness to support the development of Nigeria’s creative economy, tourism, and vocational education.

“We will organise a series of vibrant exchange activities in the fields of culture, tourism, and education to strengthen the bond between China and Nigeria.

“Our actions will demonstrate our respect for the rights of the African and Nigerian people to pursue a better life,” he said.

Mr Yang further announced that 2025 would mark the first year of the ‘Beijing Action Plan’, proposed at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

The China Cultural Centre plans to host a range of activities that align with the plan, promoting culture, tourism, and education.

(NAN)