Posted by Chinenye on Tue 18th Aug, 2026 - tori.ng
A major traders' association in Nigeria is seeking deeper support from the Chinese government to expand opportunities for its members and local communities.
(Oluwole Adigun and The consular general of China in Lagos Mrs Yan yuqing during a courtesy visit. Photo Credit: Punch News)
The Made in China Goods Traders Association of Nigeria has petitioned the Chinese Consulate General in Lagos for institutional assistance encompassing cataract surgical outreach, artificial intelligence capacity development, tertiary-level scholarship access and facilitation for participation in major commercial exhibitions held in China.
The request was submitted through formal correspondence by the association's National President to the Chinese diplomatic mission, dated Monday, August 17.
The petition followed the association's executives' involvement in a seminar addressing bamboo and rattan utilisation organised by Chinese authorities.
The association appealed for the Consulate's support in administering surgical outreach targeting economically disadvantaged populations within Lagos, aimed at restoring vision to individuals unable to afford treatment and thereby enhancing their living standards.
The organisation indicated readiness to coordinate with the diplomatic mission in identifying beneficiaries and managing programme execution.
The traders sought consideration of qualified members for Nigeria's government-sponsored artificial intelligence and emerging technology training initiative encompassing 5,000 participants.
They additionally requested access to undergraduate and graduate-level scholarship opportunities provided by the Chinese Government for association membership.
The association contended that access to training and academic programmes would strengthen technical competencies and expertise among merchants, positioning them to generate increased contributions to Nigeria's economic and technological advancement.
Regarding commercial opportunities, the traders requested Consulate assistance facilitating member attendance at two significant international exhibitions in China: the China Import and Export Fair scheduled for October 15 to November 4, 2026, in Guangzhou, and the China International Import Expo scheduled for November 5 to 10, 2026, in Shanghai.
The association characterised exhibition participation as providing networking opportunities for state-based merchants, enabling market exploration and investment collaboration development whilst facilitating technology transfer and strengthening bilateral commerce between both nations.
The National President acknowledged the Consulate's earlier seminar initiatives, noting that the programme had expanded participant understanding of bamboo and rattan deployment for sustainability and economic advancement.
He indicated that acquired knowledge would benefit association members and their communities whilst reinforcing Nigeria-China diplomatic relations.