Nigerian states including Enugu, Kaduna and Oyo are set to play key roles in a $1 billion National Integrated Poultry Project that will see the country produce six million eggs daily, house over seven million laying birds and more than two million broilers. The initiative is part of renewed Nigeria–China cooperation aimed at strengthening food security, creating jobs and driving agro-industrial growth across the country.
The disclosure was made on Saturday by Joseph Tegbe, Director General and Global Liaison of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership, while delivering a speech at the 2026 Chinese New Year Temple Fair held at the China Cultural Centre in Abuja. The event was organised to celebrate the Year of the Horse and mark the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and China.
Tegbe explained that the pilot phase of the poultry project, which draws inspiration from China’s agricultural productivity and food security achievements, would later be expanded to other geopolitical zones. According to him, the integrated initiative will, when completed, produce six million eggs daily, house over seven million laying birds and more than two million broilers, and cultivate over 60,000 hectares of maize and soybeans to support feed production.
He added that the programme would also provide subsidised feedstock to existing farmers, helping to lower production costs and support local producers. Tegbe described the project as a pathway not only to food sufficiency but also to employment, dignity and economic opportunity for Nigerians, especially young people seeking work within the agricultural value chain.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to the One-China Principle, Tegbe said it remains the foundation of the enduring friendship between both countries and a guiding pillar of their expanding cooperation. He highlighted areas where Chinese partnership has contributed significantly to Nigeria’s development, including major infrastructure projects such as rail modernisation and the Lekki Deep Sea Port, which he said are reshaping the nation’s economic landscape.
Tegbe also pointed to fresh momentum around the revitalisation of the Ajaokuta Steel Complex through collaboration with China. “The revitalization of Ajaokuta Steel Complex marks another inspiring chapter in our partnership. Long a symbol of unrealized potential, Ajaokuta is now poised for renewal through collaboration with China. With an expected output of 10 million metric tonnes per annum, a revitalized Ajaokuta will transform Nigeria’s economic trajectory, powering industries, creating jobs, and positioning Nigeria as a leading manufacturing and innovation hub in Africa,” he said.
He further commended the growing knowledge exchange and educational partnerships between Nigeria and China, noting that these efforts are enabling Nigerian students to study in China while promoting academic collaboration and joint research. According to Tegbe, such partnerships will support the establishment of new industrial parks driven by shared expertise, innovation and technology transfer between both countries.
Tegbe stressed that beyond trade and infrastructure, the Nigeria–China partnership must remain people-centred. He encouraged Chinese businesses operating in Nigeria to prioritise skills transfer, local capacity building and inclusive growth that directly benefits host communities. He expressed optimism that the coming year would record measurable progress across these initiatives, inspired by the outcomes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s visit to Beijing in September 2024.
“As we celebrate the New Year, we must also look ahead with clarity of purpose. This is about projects that will define our shared future and deliver real impact to our people,” Tegbe said, adding that renewed commitments by both countries signal stronger cooperation ahead.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Zhou Hongyou, described the Spring Festival as “the deepest cultural mark on the Chinese heart” and a moment of reunion for hundreds of millions of families worldwide. He noted that the festival, to be celebrated globally on February 17, 2026, was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at the end of 2024.
Zhou said the temple fair was designed not only as a cultural celebration but also as a platform to strengthen mutual understanding between the Chinese and Nigerian peoples through shared experiences in art, food, sports and tradition. He recalled that both countries formally established diplomatic relations on February 10, 1971, opening what he described as “a chapter of friendship across mountains and seas.”
He said that over the past 55 years, the relationship has expanded from political goodwill into wide-ranging cooperation covering trade, infrastructure, education, science and people-to-people exchanges. “Over the past 55 years, regardless of changes in the international landscape, both sides have always upheld mutual respect, equality and win-win cooperation. From political mutual trust and economic cooperation to people-to-people exchanges, China–Nigeria relations have grown ever stronger and more fruitful,” Zhou said.
The envoy described China–Nigeria cooperation as a model of South–South collaboration, revealing that bilateral trade continues to expand while infrastructure partnerships remain steady. He added that both countries are consulting on the implementation of zero-tariff measures to support Nigeria’s modernization efforts. Zhou said 2026 is significant as it marks 55 years of diplomatic relations and the China–Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, creating opportunities to deepen mutual understanding, enhance governance exchanges and broaden human connections beyond official engagements.
