China has restated its commitment to building a fairer and more inclusive global governance system, pledging deeper cooperation with Nigeria and Africa under the newly launched Global Governance Initiative (GGI).
At a seminar in Abuja organised by the Centre for Contemporary China-Africa Research and the Centre for China Studies, Chinese officials described the GGI as a new platform to reform global institutions, address historical injustices, and amplify the voice of the Global South in bodies such as the UN Security Council and international financial systems.
Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Mr. Dong Hairong, said the initiative, introduced by President Xi Jinping on September 1, joins the Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI) and Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) as pillars of China’s vision to build “a community with a shared future for mankind.”
“The current international landscape is undergoing changes and turbulences. The world is far from peaceful and stable,” Mr. Dong said, citing geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainties, and regional conflicts. He stressed that the GGI seeks to close gaps in the global governance system by promoting sovereign equality, multilateralism, rule of law, and people-centred development.
He noted that Nigeria and Africa stand to benefit from closer cooperation with China in critical areas such as climate change, cyberspace, artificial intelligence, trade, and outer space.
Director General of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), Mr. Joseph Tegbe, described the GGI as a platform for tangible progress, stressing its value for Nigeria’s industrialisation, technology growth, infrastructure development, and cultural exchange.
Similarly, Director of the Centre for China Studies, Dr. Charles Onunaiju, urged both countries to move beyond rhetoric and translate the initiative into concrete results, while Dr. Sam Amadi of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought emphasized that internal reforms and visionary leadership remain crucial for Nigeria’s transformation.
“Nigeria and China must go beyond dialogue to initiate strategic collaborations that deliver actionable plans,” Onunaiju said.
Amadi added: “China thrived not because of a favourable global order, but through internal discipline and economic vision. Nigeria must do the same to fully benefit from initiatives like the GGI.”
