The 13th edition of the China–Nigeria Culture Fiesta was held on Saturday at the China Cultural Centre in Abuja, bringing together students from Chinese Corner Schools across the Federal Capital Territory in a colourful showcase of dance, creativity, and cultural exchange.
The event featured both Nigerian and Chinese dance competitions, as well as the awarding ceremony for the “China–Nigeria Friendship” Drawing Competition, with students displaying outstanding performances and artworks celebrating the growing ties between both nations.
After several energetic performances, Government Secondary School (GSS) Dutse Alhaji emerged winner in the Nigerian dance category, while GSS Gwarinpa and GSS Tudun Wada finished second and third, respectively.
In the Chinese dance category, GSS Wuse 3 clinched the top position, followed by GDSS Dutse and GSS Nyanya in second and third places.
In the drawing competition, Uko Gabriel Francis of GSS Apo won the grand prize of ₦200,000, while Ayis Joseph from GSS Gwarinpa and Courage George from Rahama School took second place, earning ₦150,000 each. The third-place winners — Evidence Peter (Rahama School), Ogbu Chidera Destiny (GSS Jabi), and Oludosun Abraham (GSS Tudun Wada) — each received ₦100,000.
Other participants received consolation prizes, while the winners of the dance competition went home with generator sets, refrigerators, and sound systems, courtesy of the Chinese Cultural Centre and its partners.
Speaking at the event, Mr Yang Jianxing, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy and Director of the China Cultural Centre, said the fiesta reflected the deepening cultural and educational collaboration between China and Nigeria.
He described the programme as “a vivid manifestation of the close cooperation between our two sides in the fields of culture and education,” adding that cultural exchange plays a vital role in nurturing creativity, global understanding, and talent development among young people.
“Culture is an essential nutrient for nurturing students’ minds and cultivating well-rounded personalities. Through art forms that young people enjoy, such as dance and painting, we aim to help more students understand the Chinese language and culture, while preserving and promoting Nigeria’s rich traditions,” he said.
He commended the Federal Capital Territory Secondary Education Board for its long-term support in promoting multicultural education through the Chinese Corner Programme, which has operated in Abuja schools for more than a decade.
Yang praised the students for their dedication, creativity, and hard work, noting that their performances and artwork embodied both skill and heartfelt emotion.
Looking ahead, Yang announced that 2026 has been designated the China–Africa Year of People-to-People Exchange, and expressed China’s readiness to deepen cooperation with Nigeria’s education authorities to further expand cultural exchange programmes.
He encouraged Nigerian students to take advantage of the “Chinese Corner” initiative as a gateway to broaden their horizons, learn Chinese language and culture, and build careers that contribute to the shared modernisation goals of China and Nigeria.
Earlier in his remarks, Mohammed Sani Ladan, Director of the FCT Secondary Education Board, said the cultural fiesta showcases the rich cultural heritage of both nations, providing a platform for students to exhibit their talent and creativity.
He thanked the China Cultural Centre for their continued collaboration and the Chinese Corner Schools for their hard work and dedication.
The annual China-Nigeria Culture Fiesta is organised by the China Cultural Centre in collaboration with the FCT Secondary Education Board to promote mutual understanding, creativity, and friendship among youth in both countries.