China has expressed readiness to deepen media cooperation with Nigeria through professional exchanges, technological collaboration and joint content production.
Liu Linhai, Vice President of the Research and Training Institute (RTI) of the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA), made this known on Wednesday at the closing ceremony of a two-week seminar for Nigerian media professionals in Beijing.
The seminar, held at the RTI, NRTA, Shunyi Campus, brought together about 28 Nigerian journalists for training in broadcasting convergence and communication capacity building.
Liu said the program provided an opportunity for media professionals from both countries to exchange experiences and examine emerging trends in journalism and broadcasting.
He said the interactions allowed participants to share perspectives on media development, professional practice and the changing global media landscape.
According to him, the seminar also exposed the Nigerian participants to China’s experiences in journalism and broadcasting, while creating opportunities to discuss storytelling approaches to modernization and poverty reduction.
Liu acknowledged the support of Zhou Kongyu, a representative of the Chinese Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria, toward the success of the program.
He said the participants demonstrated particular interest in emerging technologies, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI), and their application in modern journalism.
The Chinese official noted that technology could help bridge the digital divide, improve media production and enable Nigerian media organizations to reach wider audiences.
He expressed hope that the relationships established during the seminar would translate into further collaboration between media professionals in both countries.
Liu identified possible areas of cooperation as joint journalism projects, exchange of audiovisual materials, and co-production of short documentaries and micro-dramas.
He said such initiatives would strengthen mutual understanding and promote closer people-to-people relations between China and Nigeria.
Responding, Dr Qasim Akinreti, a representative of the Nigerian delegation, appreciated the Chinese government and NRTA for providing Nigerian media professionals with the opportunity to participate in the program.
Akinreti described the 15-day seminar as an enriching experience that combined academic learning, professional engagement and exposure to China’s media and technological development.
He expressed appreciation to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Malam Mohammed Idris, for approving the participation of media professionals from various government-owned media organizations.
He said participants were drawn from organizations including the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), among others.
According to him, the seminar enabled the Nigerian delegation to learn from Chinese media practitioners and institutions while sharing experiences from Nigeria’s media environment.
Akinreti also commended the Chinese hosts for their hospitality, describing the professional and cultural exposure gained during the program as valuable.
He said the knowledge acquired would help improve professional practice and strengthen media cooperation between Nigeria and China.
The seminar featured lectures, professional exchanges, institutional visits and discussions on broadcasting convergence, emerging technologies, AI, digital communication and contemporary journalism.
Participants also examined ways to use new media technologies to improve storytelling and ensure that development-oriented stories reach wider audiences.
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The closing ceremony was attended by officials of the NRTA, Chinese media and training institutions, Nigerian representatives and other participants.
The seminar formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen professional capacity-building and cooperation between Nigerian and Chinese media practitioners.
