Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has embarked on high-level strategic engagements with Chinese officials to strengthen Nigeria–China cooperation in women’s economic empowerment, agricultural innovation, and social protection.
The meetings, held on the sidelines of the Beijing+30 Global Women’s Summit, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to advancing gender-focused development through enhanced bilateral ties with China.
During a courtesy visit to the Deputy Governor of Jilin Province, Mrs Yang Andi, Sulaiman-Ibrahim highlighted the growing economic collaboration between both parties, revealing an existing trade volume of 150 million USD between Jilin and Nigeria.
“Our discussion confirms an existing trade volume of 150 million USD between Jilin and Nigeria, a potent foundation we are ready to scale,” she said, describing the engagement as “a monumental step for Nigerian women in agriculture and social development.”
She also commended Mrs Yang Andi’s leadership as “a compelling testament to the vital role women play in high-level global governance.”
According to the Minister, the partnership aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and will leverage Jilin’s expertise in agriculture, technology, and industry to support the Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions (RH-SII).
“This partnership is smart economics. By activating it, we are set to empower 10 million Nigerian women as economic catalysts, dramatically boosting local impact and moving Nigeria closer to its $1 trillion economy goal by 2030,” she said.
At the core of the initiative is the WAVE Model Women’s Advancement through Value creation and Empowerment which serves as the Ministry’s roadmap for helping women earn more, build wealth, and become successful agripreneurs.
Recognising that women constitute 70 percent of Nigeria’s smallholder farmers but often face challenges such as limited access to finance, tools, and training, the Minister announced a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Mutual Commitment Group (MCG), a Chinese firm focused on inclusive and sustainable infrastructure development.
“This strategic alliance will deliver the vital equipment, training, and resources Nigerian women need to thrive in agriculture,” she noted, commending the Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, for witnessing the signing and her dedication to advancing Nigerian women.
While in Jilin, the Minister led an extensive dialogue on agricultural science and education cooperation at Jilin Agricultural University with representatives of the Mutual Commitment Group and university leadership.
The trilateral meeting explored sustainable collaboration in human capacity development, technology transfer, and food security. Jilin University shared success stories from its “Science and Technology Yard” model in Zambia a framework integrating agricultural innovation with education.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim said both parties jointly proposed adopting a “Four-Floor Agenda for Women” to support skills development, research collaboration, and industrial chain innovation in agriculture.
In Changchun, the Nigerian delegation visited the Dikeng Medical Centre, where the Minister lauded its “community-first approach and holistic care,” describing it as validation of Nigeria’s vision for community-centric healthcare.
An additional MoU was signed with the Mutual Commitment Company to establish a nationwide network of Safe Spaces and Referral Services across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, alongside Mega Modern Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC) in each of the six geopolitical zones.
“Safeguarding the health and wellbeing of women and children is our absolute priority,” Sulaiman-Ibrahim stated. “This is a deep-rooted investment in the future health and security of our nation.”
She emphasised that the Ministry will provide technical support and resources to enable every local government area to set up vital Safe Spaces and Referral Services.
“All the initiatives launched in Jilin align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to empower 10 million women across Nigeria’s agricultural and social value chains,” she reiterated.
From technology exchange to agripreneurship and social protection, the Minister underscored that global partnerships and local impact are central to achieving inclusive development.
“From experiencing healing in China to enabling national healing in Nigeria the work begins now,” she said.
Through these China collaborations, Nigeria is transforming policy into practice under the Renewed Hope Agenda, positioning women as key drivers of economic resilience, food security, and social stability nationwide.
