December 20, 2025 l Dalena Reporters
In a significant milestone for Nigeria’s bilateral economic relationship with China, trade volume between both nations has surpassed $22 billion in 2025, underpinned by a dramatic over 200 percent surge in Nigerian exports to the Asian superpower and expanding Chinese direct investment into Nigeria, according to the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai.
Delivering the figures at the 1st Annual China–Nigeria Government Exchange Programme Alumni Reunion Gala in Abuja, Ambassador Yu described the latest trade data as a reflection of deepening economic cooperation, strong people-to-people ties, and mutual strategic interests that extend beyond traditional diplomatic engagement. He noted that the 2025 trade total already exceeds last year’s entire bilateral trade, signalling intensified commercial activity that is reshaping the contours of Nigeria’s global economic engagements.
According to Yu’s address, China’s direct investment in Nigeria has risen by approximately 130 percent, reflecting growing investor confidence and expanding Chinese participation in diverse sectors of the Nigerian economy. The ambassador highlighted that these investments are not only in trade but also in capacity building across sectors ranging from manufacturing and agriculture to public health and digital technologies.
A cornerstone of this expanding trade relationship is the zero-tariff policy announced by the Chinese government in June 2025, under which 100 percent of products from all 53 African countries, including Nigeria, are granted duty-free access to the Chinese market. The ambassador emphasised that the policy is being actively implemented in collaboration with Nigeria’s Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and is expected to further amplify Nigeria’s export performance and integration into the global trading system.
Ambassador Yu characterised Nigeria and China as “natural partners” with shared development aspirations and a common interest in strengthening African representation in global governance and trade architecture. His remarks underscored a strategic vision in which economic cooperation extends beyond transactional trade into broader structural engagement.
The gala also highlighted the human capital dimension of the bilateral relationship, with over 10,000 Nigerians reported to have benefited from Chinese government-sponsored exchange and training programmes spanning governance, poverty reduction, manufacturing, agriculture, science and technology, and the digital economy. These programmes, according to officials, are designed not only to develop individual skills but to translate into broad-based socio-economic development within Nigeria.
Economic analysts and trade stakeholders view the surge in exports and investment as a dual indicator of Nigeria’s evolving role in global trade and China’s expanding footprint in Africa’s largest economy. While petroleum products have traditionally dominated export flows, there is growing focus on diversification into non-oil sectors — a trend that is likely to be catalysed by enhanced market access under the zero-tariff framework and strengthened institutional collaboration between both governments.
The expansion of Nigeria’s export base and the deepening of bilateral ties come at a time of broader economic reform and diversification efforts within Nigeria, aimed at reducing dependency on oil-centric trade and enhancing competitiveness in international markets. As 2025 draws to a close, the China-Nigeria trade trajectory underscores both the opportunities and challenges associated with fostering sustainable, high-impact economic partnerships in an increasingly interconnected global economy.