Nigeria’s exports to China rose sharply in the first half of 2026, with Chinese imports from the country reaching $2.25 billion, an 81 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2025.
The Consul General of China in Lagos, Yan Yuqing, disclosed this at the 2026 Nigeria International New Energy and Power Industry Expo and Nigeria International Lighting Expo Lunch Conference.
She attributed the increase to China’s zero-tariff policy for products from 53 African countries, including Nigeria, which came fully into effect on May 1.
Yan said the policy was already yielding results within months of its implementation, with the value of Chinese imports from Nigeria recording particularly strong growth in May and June.
She 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.”
Overall, trade between Nigeria and China stood at $17.4 billion between January and June 2026, representing a 35 per cent increase over the corresponding period of 2025.
According to Yan, the figures showed that removing tariffs could significantly improve access for Nigerian products in the Chinese market while deepening economic cooperation between both countries.
China’s zero-tariff arrangement covers all tariff lines for products from the 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations. The initiative forms part of Beijing’s wider strategy to strengthen economic ties with Africa under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan for 2025–2027.
Yan said the policy was introduced as China began implementing its 15th Five-Year Plan and was intended to create additional momentum for economic development and modernisation across China and Africa.
She also pointed to the continued expansion of Chinese investment and commercial activity in Nigeria.
Bilateral trade exceeded $28 billion in 2025, representing more than 28 per cent year-on-year growth, while China’s direct investment in Nigeria rose to $690 million, a 103 per cent increase from the previous year.
Yan described Nigeria as China’s largest engineering contracting market in Africa, its second-largest export market on the continent and an important destination for Chinese investment.
“Nigeria is also China’s second-largest trading partner in Africa,” she said.
