The Voice of Nigeria (VON) has launched its Mandarin broadcasting service,
China-Nigeria Bridge radio programme,
expanding its international language offerings to nine in a move aimed at strengthening cultural diplomacy, promoting mutual understanding and deepening relations between Nigeria and China.
The Director General of VON, Jibril Baba Ndace, who was represented by the Director of General Services, Alhaji Danladi Abdulkarim, announced the launch at a ceremony attended by Chinese Embassy officials, media stakeholders, students and other dignitaries.
Ndace said the introduction of Mandarin was part of efforts to expand Nigeria’s global voice and ensure that the country’s stories reach wider international audiences.
“When I assumed duty as the sixth Director General of Voice of Nigeria, it was very clear and intentional: Voice of Nigeria must take charge of Nigeria’s narrative. We must tell our own story in our own voice to the world. We cannot do that alone in only eight languages,” he said.
He explained that the addition of Mandarin brings VON’s broadcasting languages to nine, alongside English, French, Arabic, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Fulfulde and Kiswahili.
According to him, the initiative is designed to build a communication bridge between Nigeria and China, as well as connect Africa with more than one billion Mandarin speakers around the world.
“This is not just the addition of a language; it is the opening of a bridge. A bridge between Nigeria and China. A bridge between Africa and over one billion Mandarin speakers around the world,” he said.
The VON Director General said the initiative followed a series of engagements between Nigeria and China, beginning with the September 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit in Beijing, where both countries agreed on a framework for media exchange and cooperation.
He recalled that 26 Nigerian journalists, including five from VON, participated in a training programme in Beijing in April 2026 at the National Radio and Television Administration.
He added that VON signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Xinhua News Agency on April 24, 2026, covering content sharing and news exchange.
Ndace further disclosed that a strategic agreement was signed with the Chinese Embassy on May 18, 2026, covering Mandarin language training, staff capacity development, content production and exchange, collaboration against misinformation and cultural exchanges.
He said the Mandarin service would promote Nigeria’s culture, tourism, music, food, entrepreneurship and business opportunities to Chinese audiences while providing Nigerians with greater access to information about China.
“The Mandarin service will do four things. First, it will project Nigerian positivity to the world. It will tell stories of our confidence, creativity, entrepreneurship and hospitality,” he said.
He added that the service would support the comprehensive strategic partnership between Nigeria and China and promote access to credible information.
“We agreed to work together to ensure that our people receive credible, balanced and useful information about each other,” he said.
Also speaking, Yang Jianxing, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria and Director of the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria, described the China-Nigeria Bridge radio programme as an important platform for strengthening friendship and cultural understanding between the two countries.
He said the programme, jointly initiated by the Chinese Embassy, Xinhua News Agency Africa Regional Bureau and Voice of Nigeria, with the China Cultural Centre as a supporting partner, was designed to promote Chinese language learning and provide information on China-Africa cooperation.
Yang disclosed that 10 episodes of the programme had been broadcast since its inaugural transmission on September 2, 2026, attracting attention and appreciation from listeners across Africa.
“This is much more than a radio programme; it is a bridge of friendship connecting the hearts of the Chinese and African people and promoting mutual learning and understanding among civilizations,” he said.
He also highlighted the growing economic relationship between Nigeria and China, disclosing that bilateral trade between both countries reached $17.4 billion in the first half of 2026, representing a 35 per cent increase compared with the corresponding period in 2025.
According to him, China’s imports from Nigeria stood at $2.25 billion during the period, representing an 81 per cent increase.
Yang further noted that China’s zero-tariff policy for African countries, including Nigeria, had created additional opportunities for trade and economic cooperation.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Press Council, Dilli Ezughah, described the initiative as a demonstration of the importance of cultural diplomacy, media collaboration and people-to-people engagement in strengthening relations between nations.
He said the relationship between Nigeria and China had continued to expand beyond economic and diplomatic cooperation to include cultural understanding, knowledge sharing and mutual respect.
“The relationship between China and Nigeria has continued to evolve beyond economic and diplomatic cooperation to embrace cultural understanding, knowledge sharing and mutual respect,” he said.
Ezughah also disclosed that the Nigerian Press Council was working towards establishing a partnership with Chinese media organisations to promote professional media development and information exchange.
He revealed that Xinhua News Agency had recently sent a delegation to the council as part of efforts to advance the proposed collaboration.
He urged stakeholders to sustain the China-Nigeria Bridge initiative, noting that lasting relationships between countries required meaningful connections between their people, beyond government-to-government engagements.
“The true value of such initiatives lies in their ability to build cultural synergy and create enduring bonds among peoples and societies,” he said.
Ezughah encouraged Nigerians to explore China’s culture and development, saying his visit to the country had exposed him to its technological advancement and hospitality.
The launch forms part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria-China cooperation through media, education and cultural exchanges, with both countries expressing optimism that the Mandarin service will deepen mutual understanding and create new opportunities for collaboration.
