The rhythm of a Hausa folk song blended with the soft symphony strings of a Chinese guzheng on Friday, May 15, as Abuja hosted the 2026 celebration of China Tourism Day. The event turned the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria into a stage for cultural exchange, tapestry and harmony, underscoring the ever-increasing people-to-people ties between the People’s Republic of China and Nigeria.

The celebration opened with a welcome address by Mr. Yang Jianxing, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria and Director of the China Cultural Centre. He said the annual event was aimed at deepening mutual understanding and promoting tourism cooperation between Nigeria and China.

”May 19th this year marks the 16th ”China Tourism Day,” with the theme ”Enjoying Quality Tourism, Exploring Beautiful Landscapes.” This theme profoundly interprets the essence of tourism-enhancing understanding, forging friendships, and sharing beauty while appreciating magnificent landscapes and splendid civilizations. Today, we are holding this celebration to share the unique charm of Chinese tourism with our Nigerian friends and explore the broad prospects for cultural and tourism cooperation between our two countries.”

Counsellor Yang Jianxing noted that tourism serves as a bond for cultural exchange and a bridge for mutual understanding.

”China and Nigeria are both ancient civilizations, possessing magnificent natural landscapes and profound historical and cultural heritage. From the Great Wall and Mount Tai in China to the Osun-Osobo Sacred Forest and Zuma Rock in Nigeria, these cultural and tourism landmarks act as silent messengers, building a solid bridge of mutual understanding between the two people,” he said.

The amiable Counsellor concluded his welcome address by stating that over the years, the exchanges and cooperation between China and Nigeria in the spheres of culture and tourism have yielded very positive results.

”Looking back, our exchanges and cooperation in the fields of culture and tourism have yielded fruitful and remarkable results. We successfully hosted the ”Happy Chinese New Year” series of celebrations that stretched into the Chinese Lunar New Year. We also held consecutive China-Nigeria Cultural and Tourism Festivals, enabling people from both countries to deeply experience the essence of each other’s culture.”

”Looking into the future, China is willing to work with Nigeria, taking the ”China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges” as an opportunity to continuously deepen practical cooperation in the fields of culture and tourism, as we look forward to more Chinese tourists visiting Nigeria to experience the unique charm and boundless vitality of this West African land,” he stated.

Also delivering a goodwill message, H.E. Abdulkarim Ozi Ibrahim, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, represented by Mr. Yohanna Evandu, Director of International Cultural Relations at the ministry, described the celebration as a plausible reflection of the growing cultural and diplomatic ties between Nigeria and China.

”Our relationship with China in cultural exchange has continued to grow stronger. Nigeria has benefited tremendously, including in training and cultural capacity development,” he stated.

Abdulkarim further noted, ”Nigeria, like China, is abundantly blessed with multifarious cultural heritage, vibrant creative expressions and spectacular landscapes. As a ministry, we remain resolute and committed to positioning Nigeria as a frontier tourism destination in Africa, while strengthening International partnerships that will enhance our tourism, arts, culture and creative economy.”

The highlight of the event was a series of performances showcasing both Nigerian and Chinese traditions. Guests were treated to Chinese songs, the northern folk dance-Yangge, and a performance on the traditional Chinese string instrument, the guzheng.

Nigerian culture was represented through a rendition of the Hausa folk song “Nyarinya”, poetry recitation, and an instrumental performance. The event closed with a Nigeria-China Unity Dance, symbolizing the collaborative spirit of the celebration.