Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Nigeria and China are seeking to turn their growing cultural relationship into a stronger commercial partnership in film, with filmmakers from both countries exploring co-production, technology transfer and distribution opportunities that could open up two major audiences to each other’s creative industries.

The push gained momentum at the Chinese Film Screening in Nigeria 2026 in Abuja, where industry stakeholders identified the combination of Nigeria’s storytelling strength and China’s cinema infrastructure, capital and distribution expertise as a potential pathway to expanding the global reach of their productions.

The discussions also highlighted a major challenge facing the proposed partnership: translating cultural exchanges and diplomatic goodwill into concrete business arrangements that enable filmmakers to secure investment, distribute their works across borders and earn sustainable returns.

The Director of the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria, Mr Yang Jianxing, said film remained an important bridge for strengthening understanding between the two countries, whose creative industries offered considerable scope for collaboration.

“China and Nigeria share a deep-rooted traditional friendship and close people-to-people exchanges, and film serves as an important bridge for fostering mutual understanding between our peoples,” he said.

Jianxing said cooperation had expanded through reciprocal film screenings, professional exchanges, festivals and the distribution of productions across national borders.

The partnership involving the Chinese Embassy, the China Cultural Centre and StarTimes Nigeria has helped bring Chinese film and television productions to Nigerian audiences through initiatives including a month-long showcase, the Chinese Women’s Film Festival and screenings of works dubbed or subtitled in local languages, including Hausa.

“StarTimes has successfully brought outstanding Chinese productions and knowledge series to a broader audience,” he said.

He added that Nigerian films had also reached mainstream Chinese digital media platforms, exposing audiences there to Nigerian stories, characters and experiences.

The commercial potential of the relationship was underscored by Fidelis Duker, founder of the Abuja International Film Festival, who said discussions with the Chinese delegation had focused on production, distribution and co-production opportunities, including engagements with Nigerian film institutions and plans to meet distributors and cinema operators in Lagos.

Duker argued that the population sizes of the two countries presented an opportunity to expand the reach of their film industries, provided that investment, technology and distribution networks were developed to support the exchange of content.

“What we found out today, or what we’ve known over the years, is that China has technology,” he said, adding that the Chinese delegation had told participants that China sold 1.3 billion cinema tickets in the previous year.

China’s film market provides an indication of the scale of the opportunity. According to figures released by the China Film Administration, the country generated ¥51.832 billion in box-office revenue in 2025, while cinema attendance reached 1.238 billion. 

Domestic productions accounted for nearly 80 per cent of total box-office receipts, and the country ended the year with 93,187 cinema screens.

The figures illustrate the scale of China’s production and exhibition ecosystem, offering Nigerian filmmakers potential access to a market where locally produced content commands a substantial share of cinema revenue.

For Nigeria, the opportunity extends beyond exporting completed films. Collaboration could also create avenues for joint productions, technical training, improved post-production capacity and the development of distribution arrangements that give Nigerian stories a wider international audience.

Duker said the combination of Nigerian creativity and Chinese industrial capacity could be particularly valuable to both sides.

“When you marry Nigerian narrative vitality with China’s technical infrastructure, capital, and unparalleled distribution expertise, you can imagine the possibilities,” he said.

The Chinese delegation, led by the Chairman of Huaxia Film Distribution Company Limited, Bai Yimin, also emphasised the contribution of cinema to bilateral relations.

Bai said cooperation between the countries had produced results through reciprocal film festivals, professional exchanges, and the translation and broadcasting of films.

“In recent years, cooperation in the film industry has become a brilliant chapter in China-Nigerian cultural and people-to-people exchanges,” he said.

He added that the Chinese Embassy and the China Cultural Centre would continue to support initiatives using cinema to connect audiences and strengthen relations between the two countries.

The screening coincided with the 23rd Abuja International Film Festival, which received 10 Chinese film entries this year, five of which were nominated for awards. 

Duker said Chinese films had featured in 22 of the festival’s 23 editions, reflecting a longstanding relationship between the event and China’s film industry.

He also credited StarTimes with supporting the festival over the years, saying the relationship had contributed to its growth.

Three films were screened at the event: The Shadow’s Edge, Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert and The Lychee Road.

The screening comes against the backdrop of broader efforts to deepen Nigeria-China cooperation in the creative sector. 

In August 2026, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and China Movie Channel signed a strategic cooperation agreement aimed at promoting film co-production, technology transfer, professional training and wider distribution of creative content.

The agreement, announced at the China-Nigeria Film and Literature Symposium in Abuja, signalled an interest in moving cultural relations beyond the exchange of finished productions towards more structured industry collaboration.

The latest engagements at the film festival could build on that momentum by bringing filmmakers, distributors, cinema operators and production institutions into discussions about the practical requirements of cross-border business.

However, access to a large audience does not automatically translate into commercial success. Nigerian and Chinese productions seeking to enter each other’s markets will need effective distribution partners, appropriate subtitling and dubbing, marketing support, clear licensing arrangements and investment structures that protect the interests of participating filmmakers.

Differences in audience preferences, language, production practices and market regulations will also need to be addressed if joint projects are to attract viewers and generate revenue.

For Nigeria, the immediate priority is to ensure that its creative talent benefits commercially from international partnerships rather than limiting participation to festival appearances and cultural showcases. 

For China, deeper engagement with Nollywood offers an avenue to broaden the international reach of its productions while building relationships with one of Africa’s most prominent film industries.

The success of the partnership will ultimately depend on whether the two countries can turn screenings and professional exchanges into financed co-productions, regular content distribution and lasting commercial relationships.

With both sides signalling interest in closer collaboration, the emerging challenge is to build an industry-to-industry framework capable of converting shared cultural interests and large populations into tangible opportunities for filmmakers, distributors and audiences.