Lagos, Feb. 16, 2026 (NAN) Mr Joseph Tegbe, Director-General of the Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), has congratulated the Government and People of China on the 2026 Spring Festival.
Tegbe noted that the celebration coincided with the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and China.
In a statement on Monday, Tegbe described the milestone as a testament to a resilient and steadily expanding partnership.
He said that the Spring Festival’s spirit of renewal reflected the next phase of China–Nigeria relations, one defined by deeper economic integration, industrial upgrading, and shared prosperity.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, with a history of over 4,000 years, the Spring Festival marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year and is a grand traditional festival of the Chinese people.
Tegbe said the partnership between Nigeria and China had evolved from diplomatic engagement in 1971 into one of Africa’s most consequential economic relationships.
“Now elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership, Nigeria–China relations span infrastructure development, trade, industrial investment, technology cooperation, and people-to-people exchange,”he said.
According to him, China remains Nigeria’s largest trading partner and a key contributor to infrastructure modernisation, supporting rail, port, power and industrial projects that have strengthened productive capacity and national connectivity.
Tegbe described the moment as a “new dawn” in bilateral relations driven by a shift toward higher-value economic integration and export-led growth.
He highlighted the Zero-Tariff initiative announced by the Chinese Government for qualifying African exports, describing it as a transformative opportunity to expand non-oil exports and deepen industrial processing.
“The Zero-Tariff Agreement offers Nigerian producers enhanced access to one of the world’s largest consumer markets and creates a strategic pathway for export diversification and job creation.
“Success will depend on disciplined execution, quality compliance and strong private sector participation,” he said.
Tegbe said that NCSP was working with stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria would fully leverage the trade window, translating diplomatic goodwill into measurable economic outcomes. (NAN)
