Nigeria has officially included the Chinese language, Mandarin, in its newly reviewed senior secondary school curriculum.
The Education Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, announced the development during the inauguration of the 14th Chinese Corner at Government Secondary School, Tudun Wada, Abuja.
The project was sponsored by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) as part of its corporate social responsibility.
Dr. Hayyo explained that the FCT had earlier introduced Mandarin in schools through Chinese Corners before the nationwide curriculum review.
He described the move as visionary, noting that Chinese is now the most widely spoken language in the world and has become central to commerce, education, and tourism.
“Our decision to embrace Chinese education and culture is wise. It opens opportunities for our students to pursue further studies in China while strengthening Nigeria-China ties,” Hayyo said.
With the inauguration, Abuja now hosts 14 Chinese Corners across its secondary schools. These centres promote language learning, cultural exchange, and international collaboration.
Representing Minister Nyesom Wike, Hayyo thanked the Chinese Government and Embassy for supporting education and fostering people-to-people connections.
Quoting a Chinese proverb, he said the friendship between both nations continues to bring distant lands closer.
Chinese Counselor, Yang Jianxing, said the Chinese Corner project began over 12 years ago as a platform to deepen cultural and educational exchanges.
He noted that the initiative has grown into one of the most popular cultural programmes among Nigerian students.
“For students, the Chinese Corner is not only a place to learn Mandarin but also a window to view the world,” Jianxing stated.
He pledged continued Chinese support for cooperation in culture and education, stressing that the project marks a new phase in Nigeria-China relations.
The initiative, according to officials, will further strengthen bilateral ties and give Nigerian students global opportunities in education and employment.
