Nigeria and China have expressed interest in working together to tackle poverty and improve humanitarian services. This was discussed when the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Yusuf Tanko Sununu, on Thursday, September 4, 2025, in Abuja.
During the meeting, Dr Sununu welcomed China’s willingness to collaborate with Nigeria. He noted that Nigeria is eager to learn from China’s successful strategies in fighting poverty. The Minister outlined several pressing humanitarian challenges in the country, including acute malnutrition in children, internally displaced persons, refugees, and the effects of climate change.
Dr Sununu explained that potential areas of partnership include providing durable solutions for displaced persons, skill-to-wealth training programs, and capacity building for ministry staff, especially frontline workers. He emphasized the importance of prompt response to humanitarian needs to support vulnerable groups across the nation.
“We appreciate the good intentions of the Chinese government in partnering with us,” Dr Sununu said. “Nigeria is ready to benefit from China’s experiences in poverty reduction and humanitarian services.”
Ambassador Yu Dunhai highlighted the similarities between both countries, especially in population size, noting that China has about 1.4 billion people as of last year. He explained that China had faced hunger and poverty in the past but had made remarkable progress in overcoming those challenges.
He said, “China has successfully lifted millions of people out of poverty in the last decade. We believe Nigeria can also achieve similar success with the right strategies and partnerships.”
The Ambassador pointed out that tackling poverty requires strong investment in food security, agriculture, industrialization, education, security, and development stability. He assured that the Chinese Embassy is ready to support the Ministry’s efforts in these areas.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Yakubu Adam Kofarmata, thanked the Ambassador for his visit and his commitment to building a strong partnership. He expressed optimism that the collaboration will bring practical solutions to humanitarian challenges and improve capacity development for staff working in poverty reduction programs.