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 ensuring they fit Nigeria’s social, political and economic realities.
The call was made by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, in a goodwill message delivered at a strategic stakeholders’ workshop organised by the *Diplomatic Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria, DICAN, in Abuja.
Represented by Kimiebi Ebienfa, Ahmed said Nigeria continues to face challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality that require pragmatic and collaborative responses.
He said China’s experience offers useful lessons in long-term planning, infrastructure-led growth, targeted poverty reduction programmes and mobilization of domestic resources.
“Nigeria should identify aspects of the Chinese model that can be adapted to improve agricultural productivity, strengthen social protection systems, promote public-private partnerships and expand investments in human capital while maintaining transparency, accountability and democratic governance,” he said.
Ahmed stressed that policymakers must design reforms suited to local realities and ensure effective implementation and monitoring.
He also underscored the role of the media in fostering public understanding and promoting accountability through accurate reporting.
Ahmed reaffirmed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ commitment to deepening international cooperation, knowledge exchange and partnerships that attract responsible investment, technology transfer and capacity-building programmes
Speaking on behalf of the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, the Counselor of the Economic and Commercial Office, Sun Xuekun, said China has lifted more than 800 million people out of poverty since 1978, accounting for over 70% of global poverty reduction.
“Nearly 100 million rural residents remained below the poverty line at the end of 2012, but all had been lifted out of poverty by the end of 2020. During that period, China removed 98.99 million rural residents, 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages from poverty status,” Sun said.
He attributed the success to strong government leadership, targeted poverty alleviation policies and sustained economic development.
China invested nearly 1.6 trillion yuan in special poverty alleviation funds and deployed more than 3 million officials and village work-team members.
Sun said China shifted from broad relief programmes to targeted interventions based on household assessments, including industrial development, relocation, educational support, ecological compensation and expanded social protection.
Massive investments in roads, water, electricity, telecoms, education and healthcare, he said, also addressed root causes of poverty.
He added that China has put in place a five-year transition period and monitoring systems to prevent people from falling back into poverty.
DICAN Chairman, Idehai Frederick, said the workshop theme was timely, noting that Africa’s poverty challenge requires practical solutions.
Drawing from a recent study tour of China by African media executives, Frederick said participants observed rural revitalization projects and modernization initiatives that could offer lessons for developing countries.
“While acknowledging China's achievement in lifting more than 800 million people out of extreme poverty, Nigeria should adapt rather than replicate the Chinese model,” he said.
He identified data-driven interventions at household and community levels, infrastructure development, mutually beneficial economic partnerships and development assistance aligned with the SDGs as key areas for Nigeria.
Frederick also urged Nigeria to take advantage of 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 institutions, policymakers, media practitioners, diplomats and other stakeholders to discuss poverty alleviation strategies and lessons from international development experiences.