News Investigators/ Nigeria and China are exploring deeper cooperation in film production, tourism promotion and cultural exchange to attract tourists, strengthen professional capacity and stimulate economic growth.
Olayiwola Awakan, Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the sideline of the ongoing 23rd Abuja International Film Festival (AIFF).
The 2026 edition of the annual AIFF is holding from Oct. 20 to 25 in Abuja.
It brings together filmmakers, actors, regulators and other stakeholders in the creative and tourism sector.
According to him, the proposed collaboration will create opportunities for joint film productions that will feature tourist destinations in both countries, enabling audiences to discover their cultural attractions.
He explained that the initiative would build on ongoing efforts by NTDA and the China Tourism Academy to strengthen tourism cooperation, understand Chinese travellers’ preferences and develop strategies to promote Nigerian destinations to the Chinese market.
“No denying the fact that cultural exchange is key in all of this drive that we’re talking about,” he said.
Mr Awakan said the authority was having discussions with the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria aimed at promoting cultural exchange, professional training and mutual understanding between the two countries.
“Because they want to know us, we want to know them,” he said.
He said joint productions could feature Nigerian and Chinese actors and filming locations, using cinema to promote tourism and attract economic benefits for both countries.
“Imagine us creating a movie where we’ll have some of the locations as tourist destinations here in Nigeria and also part of the locations as some of the destinations in China,” he said.
According to him, films showcasing tourist destinations could inspire audiences to visit the locations, creating opportunities for tourism businesses and host communities.
The NTDA director-general said his recent working visit to China, which included a meeting with Dai Bin, President of the China Tourism Academy, provided an opportunity to explore stronger tourism cooperation.
He said their discussions highlighted the need to improve Chinese audiences’ awareness of Nigeria’s tourism potential and encourage increased travel between both countries.
“Going by the discussion I had with the president of the China Tourism Academy, they do not know much about the potential that we have in Nigeria,” he said.
Mr Awakan added that Chinese partners had expressed readiness to visit Nigeria and explore its tourism attractions.
He said the participation of Chinese participants at the AIFF offered an opportunity to advance discussions on possible cooperation.
“For us to have them here today or to be part of this Abuja Film Festival is the beginning of that conversation,” he said.
Describing the proposed partnership as mutually beneficial, Awakan said increased travel and spending could support economic activities in both countries.
“It’s a symbiotic relationship that we are trying to create with this kind of diplomatic exchange, diplomatic handshake, and the cultural exchange that we are creating,” he said.
Accord to the NTDA boss, the meeting he had earlier in September with relevant stakeholders in Beijing explored a proposed China-Nigeria Tourism Market Development Programme to improve understanding of Chinese travellers’ preferences.
He said discussions also covered cooperation in tourism research, data, destination development, standards and institutional capacity building.
He said the Chinese academy also expressed willingness to collaborate on establishing a Nigerian International Tourism Promotion Centre in China to showcase the country’s tourism products and attract more visitors.
Earlier, AIFF Festival Director, Temitope Duker, said the festival was expanding its relationship with the Chinese Embassy, the Chinese Cultural Center and other stakeholders.
Mrs Duker said the festival hosted a high-level Chinese delegation from the China Film Administration to explore opportunities for international cooperation.
“The most exciting frontier in global cinema is the exploding partnership between Nollywood and China,” she said.
She said collaboration between the two film industries could create opportunities for co-productions, professional training, technology transfer and international distribution.
“Our collaboration is no longer just about cultural exchange; it is about practical, strategic business execution,” Duker said.
According to her, the festival was working towards arrangements that would enable Nigerian films to reach Chinese audiences and Chinese productions to reach Nigerian viewers.
NAN
