Mandarin Officially Joins Nigeria’s Secondary School Curriculum

Nigerian students are about to add a new language to their books – Mandarin (Chinese). This follows the latest review of the national curriculum, which officially approved Mandarin as one of the international languages to be taught in senior secondary schools across the country.

The big announcement came on Tuesday from Dr. Danlami Hayyo, Secretary of Education for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), during the commissioning of the 14th Chinese Corner at Government Secondary School, Tudun Wada, Abuja.

Dr. Hayyo revealed:

“May I inform you that in the recent review of our curriculum, the Chinese language has been selected as one of the international languages to offer in senior secondary schools.”

He went on to note that the FCT had already been ahead of the curve by introducing Mandarin early through the Chinese Corners initiative.

What are Chinese Corners?

The Chinese Corner is an educational and cultural hub sponsored by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) as part of its corporate social responsibility. The newly launched centre at GSS Tudun Wada makes it the 14th of its kind in the FCT, with more already spread across various secondary schools.

Representing the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, Dr. Hayyo thanked the Chinese government and its embassy in Nigeria for their steady support, closing his speech with a Chinese proverb:

“Hai nei cun zhiji, tianya ruo bi lin” – meaning “A bosom friend brings distant lands near.”



Curriculum Review and What It Means for Students

The move is part of the Federal Government’s recent curriculum overhaul, announced in a circular by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) on September 8, 2025. Starting from the 2025/2026 academic session, Mandarin will now stand alongside French and Arabic as optional international languages for secondary school students.

Strengthening Nigeria-China Relations

According to Dr. Muhammed Ladan, Director/Secretary of the FCT Secondary Education Board, the Chinese Corners go beyond just language.

“The Chinese Corners aim not just to foster people-to-people exchanges, but also to provide resources for learning Mandarin and opportunities for scholarships in China. It is also a means of strengthening diplomatic relations through artistic collaboration,” he said.



Dr. Ladan highlighted that the very first Chinese Corner was set up in 2013 at GSS Garki, with many more added since then, including the GSS Wuse Zone 3 centre in 2024. He also confirmed that two new centres are on the way, supported by top Chinese firms operating in Nigeria.

Chinese Embassy Steps In

Backing the initiative further, the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria recently donated 15 sets of Chinese language teaching materials and cultural books to Nigerian secondary schools. The gesture is aimed at boosting the rollout of Mandarin education while deepening cultural ties between both nations.



At Updatevilla, we want to hear from you:
👉 Do you think introducing Mandarin into our secondary school curriculum is a smart move for Nigeria?
👉 Will students truly embrace it, or will it be one language too many?

Drop your thoughts in the comment section – let’s get the conversation started!