Nigeria’s trade relationship with China has entered a new phase, and the numbers announced this week in Abuja tell a striking story.
Speaking at a seminar titled “China’s Zero-Tariff Measures and Africa’s Economic Structural Transformation,” held at the Yar’Adua Conference Centre and organized by the Centre for China Studies, China’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, revealed that Chinese imports from Nigeria surged by 80 percent to $2.3 billion in the first half of 2026, with monthly growth exceeding 40 percent in both May and June.
The disclosure places Nigeria among the standout beneficiaries of Beijing’s expanded zero-tariff arrangement for African nations.
The figures reflect the early impact of China’s decision to grant zero-tariff treatment to products from all African countries with which it holds diplomatic relations. This measure took effect on May 1, 2026.
The policy eliminated tariffs ranging from 3 to 10 percent on key product categories, including agricultural exports, cattle bone granules, and liquefied propane.
Yu was careful to frame Nigeria’s growth within the wider continental picture. China-Africa trade reached a record $207 billion in the first half of the year, while Chinese imports from Africa rose to $29 billion between May and June alone, a 24 percent year-on-year increase.
He estimated the zero-tariff policy has contributed to roughly a six percent increase in overall African exports to China.
Against that continental backdrop, Nigeria’s performance stands out. Total bilateral trade between Nigeria and China reached $18 billion in the first half of the year, up 35 percent year-on-year, a figure the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, noted already equals about 64 percent of the full $28 billion recorded for all of 2025.
Concrete gains are already showing up on the ground for exporters. According to Yu, every 100 tonnes of sesame exported from Nigeria now saves about $11,000 in costs. In comparison, the country’s annual export of 7,000 tonnes of cattle bone granules translates to nearly $450,000 in savings.
Yet the ambassador tempered the good news with a pointed reminder. Despite the strong export performance, Nigeria continues to record a trade deficit with China, as bilateral trade has expanded faster than exports have.
He also urged Nigerian exporters to move beyond shipping raw commodities and invest in value addition to fully capture China’s market of roughly 1.4 billion consumers, calling for deeper cooperation on industrial parks, technology transfer, and technical training.
The announcement came alongside another milestone: the signing of the Nigeria-China Aquatic Products Protocol, concluded after nearly five years of negotiations, which grants eligible Nigerian aquatic products zero-tariff access to the Chinese market and is expected to lower barriers for Nigerian seafood exports going forward.
Taken together, the figures suggest Nigeria is capturing real, measurable benefit from Beijing’s tariff overhaul, but officials on both sides are signaling that sustaining the momentum will depend less on raw export volumes and more on Nigeria’s ability to process and add value to what it sells.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Nigeria’s exports to China jumped 80% to $2.3 billion in H1 2026, thanks largely to Beijing’s new zero-tariff policy on African goods (effective May 1).
But the headline growth masks a deeper imbalance: Nigeria still runs a trade deficit with China, and officials are warning that tariff relief alone won’t sustain this momentum.
The real opportunity lies in moving beyond raw commodity exports toward local processing and value addition, which is what will determine whether this surge becomes a lasting economic gain or just a short-term bump.
