China’s Consul-General in Lagos, Yan Yuqing, announced that China’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 5.0% in 2024, marking both qualitative economic development and reasonable quantitative growth. This growth, she said, has provided a strong momentum for global economic recovery and international development cooperation.
Yuqing made this statement during the 2025 Chinese New Year reception and the “One World, One Spring, Huaxing Shines” Spring Festival gala held on Saturday night in Lagos. She emphasized that the Spring Festival, the most significant traditional holiday in China, is not only a celebration for the Chinese people but for the entire world.
“From being recognized as a UN floating holiday in 2023 to being added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2024, the Spring Festival has grown into a global cultural celebration,” Yuqing said. “It has become a cultural bond that strengthens mutual understanding, trust, and deepens people-to-people exchanges between China and Nigeria.”
Reflecting on China’s achievements in 2024, Yuqing noted that despite facing various challenges, China’s economy successfully met major goals. She highlighted Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s recent visit to Nigeria, during which he acknowledged three significant milestones in China-Nigeria relations: a new positioning of bilateral ties, the creation of a new platform for collaboration, and a new height in international cooperation.
Yuqing further praised the positive outcomes of China-Nigeria cooperation in areas like infrastructure, trade, investment, and technology. She particularly noted the successful implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) through landmark infrastructure projects by Chinese enterprises like CCECC and China Harbor Engineering Company, which have been pivotal to Nigeria’s economic growth.
She also pointed to Chinese trade events such as the Canton Fair, China International Import Expo, and the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo as key platforms for expanding bilateral trade relations. “It’s encouraging to see ‘Made in Nigeria’ as a vivid symbol of China-Nigeria manufacturing cooperation,” she added.
In 2024, the consulate, alongside the Chinese community in Nigeria, launched the “Renewed Hope, Rebirth from the Light” charity project to assist cataract sufferers, benefiting over 300 individuals. Yuqing also announced the launch of the “Together Fight Against Hunger” project for 2025, aimed at supporting low-income groups in Nigeria as part of China’s efforts to aid Nigeria’s poverty alleviation and hunger reduction initiatives.
Looking ahead to 2025, Yuqing affirmed that China would complete its 14th Five-Year Plan and continue to work closely with Nigeria to implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, as well as the important agreements made during that meeting.
“We will align the Belt and Road Initiative and the Ten Partnership Action Plans with Nigeria’s priority areas in the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda, deepening cooperation across various fields to bring mutual benefits to our nations,” Yuqing concluded. “Together, we will build a high-level China-Nigeria community with a shared future and embrace an even brighter future for our bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.”
