Chinese imports from Nigeria surged by 81 per cent year-on-year to $2.25bn in the first six months of 2026, following the implementation of a zero-tariff trade policy by China covering products from 53 African countries, including Nigeria.
The Consul General of China in Lagos, Yan Yuqing, made the disclosure at the 2026 Nigeria International New Energy and Power Industry Expo and Nigeria International Lighting Expo Lunch Conference, noting that the policy was already yielding tangible economic outcomes barely three and a half months after take-off.
Total bilateral trade between China and Nigeria reached $17.4bn in the first half of 2026, representing a 35 per cent increase compared with the corresponding period of 2025.
Yan said, “Chinese imports from Nigeria accounted for $2.25 billion of the trade, rising by 81 per cent year-on-year, with monthly growth exceeding 40 per cent in both May and June.”
She noted that the trade figures reflect the capacity of the zero-tariff framework to widen market access for Nigerian goods while solidifying commercial ties between the two countries.
China implemented the zero-tariff regime on May 1, covering all tariff lines for products from 53 African nations that maintain diplomatic relations with Beijing. According to the envoy, the measure is part of China's broader commitment to deepen economic engagement with Africa and implement the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan for 2025 to 2027.
She explained that the policy coincided with the beginning of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period and was designed to inject fresh momentum into the shared modernisation aspirations of China and African nations.
The Consul General also highlighted the ongoing expansion of bilateral economic cooperation, disclosing that trade volume between both countries exceeded $28bn in 2025, representing an increase of over 28 per cent year-on-year, while China’s direct investment in Nigeria climbed by 103 per cent to reach $690m during the same year.
Yan identified Nigeria as China’s largest engineering contracting destination in Africa, its second-largest export market on the continent, and a leading hub for foreign capital investments.
She added, “Nigeria is also China’s second-largest trading partner in Africa.”
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