Nigeria's growing trade relationship with China is delivering encouraging results, with exports to the world's second-largest economy recording a remarkable increase in the first half of 2026. The surge reflects rising demand for Nigerian products and highlights new opportunities for the country's push to diversify its economy and expand non-oil exports.
According to the Chinese Embassy in Abuja, China's imports from Nigeria rose by 81 per cent between January and June 2026, reaching $2.25 billion. The embassy attributed the growth to stronger bilateral trade and China's zero-tariff policy, which grants Nigerian goods duty-free access to the Chinese market.
The momentum strengthened as the year progressed. Imports from Nigeria reached $360 million in May, representing a 44 per cent year-on-year increase, before climbing to $440 million in June, up 42 per cent from the corresponding month in 2025.
The figures were disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Zhu Songbo, who described the performance as evidence of the strong economic complementarity between both countries.
Since 1 May 2026, China has extended zero-tariff treatment on 100 per cent of tariff lines to products from Nigeria and 52 other African countries with diplomatic relations with Beijing. The embassy said the early trade gains demonstrate the impact of the policy and expressed confidence that commercial ties would continue to strengthen.
While export volumes have risen significantly, investment data released by Nigeria and China has painted different pictures of bilateral capital flows.
The National Bureau of Statistics' Capital Importation Report for the first quarter of 2026 showed that capital inflows from China declined despite the Federal Government's announcement that it had secured more than $20 billion in investment commitments from Chinese investors across manufacturing, energy, mining, agriculture and other sectors.
According to the report, Chinese capital importation fell to $5.55 million in the first quarter of 2026 from $9.39 million in the corresponding period of 2025, representing a 40.89 per cent year-on-year decline. It also dropped 13.69 per cent from the $6.43 million recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The Chinese Embassy, however, said the apparent discrepancy is largely a result of different statistical methodologies rather than a decline in investment.
According to the embassy, China's direct investment in Nigeria exceeded $50 million in the first quarter of 2026, remaining broadly unchanged from the same period last year. It explained that Chinese investment is predominantly channelled into long-term direct investment focused on the real economy, particularly manufacturing and infrastructure, rather than the short-term capital movements captured in capital importation reports.
The embassy noted that similar differences have been recorded in previous years. Nigerian statistics placed Chinese capital importation at $59.1 million in 2024 and $38.66 million in 2025. Chinese records, however, estimated direct investment at approximately $155 million in 2024 and $390 million in 2025, equivalent to 2.6 times and 10.1 times the figures reported by Nigerian authorities.
Beyond the figures, the embassy pointed to the expanding footprint of Chinese businesses in Nigeria, particularly within the Lekki Free Trade Zone. It said cumulative Chinese investment in the zone has exceeded $1.5 billion, creating more than 8,000 direct jobs, while seven new enterprises were established during the first half of 2026.
According to the embassy, these investments continue to support industrial growth, generate tax revenue, create employment and improve livelihoods, reflecting sustained confidence in Nigeria's long-term economic potential.
The year 2026 marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and China, with both countries looking to deepen economic cooperation. The embassy said China would continue encouraging capable and reputable enterprises to invest in Nigeria in line with market principles while expanding collaboration beyond traditional sectors such as infrastructure and manufacturing into artificial intelligence, clean energy and the digital economy.
It added that continued investment and infrastructure projects would support Nigeria's industrialisation, agricultural modernisation and economic diversification, while strengthening the China–Nigeria Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The latest trade figures underscore the opportunities emerging from stronger market access for Nigerian products. As bilateral cooperation expands, the combination of growing exports and sustained long-term investment could play an increasingly important role in advancing Nigeria's industrial growth and export ambitions.
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