The National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the China National Academy of Governance to promote knowledge exchange and capacity building.

The agreement signed in Abuja is expected to pave the way for both institutions to engage in joint research, personnel exchange and collaborative training programmes aimed at enhancing public policy formulation and implementation in both countries.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Director General and Chief Executive of NIPSS, Prof Ayo Omotayo, described the partnership as a strategic move aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He noted that the collaboration was borne out of a desire to learn from China’s rapid socio-economic transformation over the past five decades.

“At the National Institute, we don’t just sign MoUs for the sake of it. Our goal is to build a better Nigerian society.

“We are particularly interested in understanding how China has managed to achieve such extraordinary progress. Any country that ignores China does so at its own peril,” Omotayo said.

According to him, the MoU focuses on intellectual engagement, including joint research initiatives and mutual staff exchanges.

“We will be sending our scholars to China and receiving theirs in Nigeria.

“This cooperation will help build capacity not just within NIPSS but across various government institutions in the country,” he added.

Vice President of the China National Academy of Governance, Prof Gong Weibin, who spoke through an interpreter, emphasised the importance of the collaboration, noting that it aligns with the elevated status of Nigeria-China relations following Tinubu’s recent state visit to China.

“CNAG plays a key role in training civil servants and policy researchers in China. Since our establishment, we’ve supported government reforms and helped shape national policy through research and training.

“We see Nigeria as a major partner and are ready to collaborate fully with NIPSS,” Gong stated.

Earlier in his speech, the Ministerial Counselor and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Chinese Embassy in Abuja, Zhang Yi, explained that the cooperation between NIPSS and CNAG is a reflection of the deepening strategic partnership between the two nations.

“Nigeria is a key strategic partner for China in Africa. Following President Tinubu’s visit, both leaders agreed to elevate the relationship to a strategic level.

“This collaboration between think tanks is a model of how our two countries can work together on governance, policy development, and shared growth,” Zhang Yi said.