The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has officially incorporated Mandarin Chinese as an optional foreign language in the national curriculum for senior secondary schools, effective from the 2025/2026 academic year. This decision, formalized through a circular issued on September 8, 2025, places Mandarin alongside other elective international languages like French and Arabic. The move is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s global engagement, foster cultural exchange, and deepen ties with China, reflecting the growing economic and diplomatic relationship between the two nations.

This curriculum update was highlighted during the launch of the 14th “Chinese Corner” at Government Secondary School Tudun Wada in Abuja on September 16, 2025. Dr. Danlami Hayyo, the Federal Capital Territory’s Secretary of Education, emphasized that the FCT had already been piloting Chinese language programs in select schools through these cultural centers, supported by the Chinese Embassy and Chinese companies. To facilitate this expansion, the embassy recently provided 15 sets of teaching materials and cultural books to enhance learning resources.

Beyond secondary education, the revised curriculum also introduces Mandarin as an optional subject in upper primary schools, aiming to equip students with skills for global communication, commerce, and tourism. This development builds on prior efforts, such as the establishment of Confucius Institutes in Nigerian universities and private language programs, but marks a significant step as the first nationwide integration of Chinese into public secondary education.