The Federal Government has called for a careful assessment of China’s development experience to identify lessons that can be adapted to Nigeria’s poverty reduction efforts while taking into account the country’s unique social, political and economic realities.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, made the call in a goodwill message delivered by Kimiebi Ebienfa at a strategic stakeholders’ workshop organised by the Diplomatic Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria (DICAN) in Abuja.
Ahmed said Nigeria, like many developing countries, continue to grapple with poverty, unemployment and inequality, requiring pragmatic and collaborative solutions.
He identified long-term planning, infrastructure-led growth, targeted poverty reduction programmes and domestic resource mobilisation as key lessons from China’s development experience that Nigeria could consider.
The Permanent Secretary, however, stressed that such lessons must be adapted to Nigeria’s institutions, values and socio-economic realities rather than copied wholesale.
He said Nigeria could draw from the Chinese experience to improve agricultural productivity, strengthen social protection, promote public-private partnerships and increase investment in human capital.
He also emphasised the need for transparency, accountability, effective implementation and monitoring of development policies.
Ahmed urged development partners to support Nigeria with technical expertise, financing and international experience aligned with the country’s development priorities.
He further highlighted the role of diplomatic correspondents and the media in promoting public understanding of development policies, scrutinising government decisions and strengthening accountability through accurate and balanced reporting.
He reaffirmed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ commitment to international cooperation, knowledge exchange and partnerships capable of attracting responsible investment, technology transfer and capacity building.
Speaking on behalf of the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, the Counselor of the Economic and Commercial Office of the Chinese Embassy, Sun Xuekun, said China had lifted more than 800 million people out of poverty since the beginning of its reform and opening-up in 1978.
According to Sun, China’s achievement accounted for more than 70 per cent of global poverty reduction and transformed the country from one of the world’s poorest nations into a major contributor to global poverty alleviation efforts.
He said nearly 100 million rural residents were still living below the poverty line at the end of 2012, but by the end of 2020, all had been lifted out of poverty.
During the period, he said China removed 98.99 million rural residents, 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages from poverty status.
Sun said China also eradicated absolute poverty and achieved its poverty reduction target under the United Nations 2030 Agenda 10 years ahead of schedule.
He attributed the achievement to strong government leadership, targeted poverty alleviation policies and sustained economic development.
According to him, the Chinese government invested nearly 1.6 trillion yuan in special poverty alleviation funds and deployed more than three million officials and village work-team members to support the campaign.
He explained that China moved from broad poverty relief programmes to targeted interventions based on detailed assessments of households and communities.
The interventions included industrial development, relocation from inhospitable areas, educational support, ecological compensation and expanded social protection.
Sun also highlighted investments in roads, drinking water, electricity, telecommunications, education and healthcare as critical components of China’s strategy to tackle the root causes of poverty.
He said China had further introduced measures to prevent people from falling back into poverty, including a five-year transition period and strengthened monitoring and assistance systems.
In his remarks, DICAN Chairman, Idehai Frederick, said Nigeria could benefit from adapting elements of China’s poverty alleviation strategy while taking its own realities into consideration.
Frederick described the workshop as timely, noting that Africa’s poverty challenge required practical solutions and closer examination of successful development experiences.
He said assessing Nigeria’s poverty reduction efforts through the lens of China’s experience was particularly important amid economic adjustments, food security concerns and ongoing reforms.
Drawing from a recent study tour of China by African media executives, Frederick said participants observed rural revitalisation projects and modernisation initiatives that could provide useful lessons for developing countries.
He called for expanded fellowship opportunities, media exchange programmes and technical journalism training for DICAN members, as well as stronger engagement between the association and the Chinese business community.
While acknowledging China’s achievement in lifting more than 800 million people out of extreme poverty, the DICAN chairman stressed that Nigeria should adapt rather than replicate the Chinese model.
He identified data-driven interventions at household and community levels, infrastructure development, mutually beneficial economic partnerships and development assistance aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as areas Nigeria should consider.
Frederick also urged Nigeria to maximise China’s zero-tariff policy for African exports by strengthening local supply chains, improving product standards and expanding non-oil exports to the Chinese market.
The workshop brought together traditional institution representatives, policymakers, media practitioners, diplomats and other stakeholders to examine poverty alleviation strategies and lessons Nigeria could draw from international development experiences.
