Trade between China and Nigeria climbed to $21.9 billion, making up roughly 8% of overall trade between China and Africa.
Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, Yan Yuqing, disclosed this at the 2025 China Commodities Expo, held at the Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, and organised by the Trade Development Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China.
The event brought together Chinese and Nigerian business leaders, investors, and policymakers to deepen trade relations and explore new opportunities for cooperation.
Yan Yuqing emphasised that China remains committed to promoting mutual consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, adding that the partnership between both countries continues to inject “new momentum into the stability of the global industrial chain.”
“Our bilateral economic and trade cooperation has yielded fruitful results. According to statistics from China Customs, bilateral trade between China and Africa in 2024 reached approximately USD 280 billion, representing a 6.1% year-on-year increase. China has remained Africa’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years.
“The bilateral trade volume between China and Nigeria reached nearly USD 21.9 billion, accounting for about 8% of China-Africa trade. China has consistently ranked as Nigeria’s top project contractor and a major source of investment for many years,” she said.
Highlighting key areas of collaboration, Yan cited major Chinese-funded projects such as the Lagos–Ibadan Railway, Lagos Light Rail, and the Lekki Deep Sea Port, as well as cooperation in digital communication and agricultural modernisation. These projects, she said, have had a direct impact on Nigeria’s economic growth and social development.
In his remarks, Lagos State Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu described the event as more than a trade fair, but a “dynamic platform that deepens the economic partnership between Nigeria and China.”
The governor, represented by the Commissioner of Commerce, Cooperative, Trade, and Investment, stated that Lagos stands ready to leverage this partnership, backed by strategic infrastructure such as the Lekki Deep Seaport and the Lagos Free Zone, which are transforming the city into a gateway for continental commerce and industrial growth.
“China’s investments exceeding $1.5 billion in Lagos and across Nigeria have delivered not only infrastructure but also technology transfer and skills development, fueling our shared drive for prosperity,” he said.
The governor encouraged Nigerian entrepreneurs to leverage the Expo’s opportunities by forging meaningful partnerships, ensuring technology transfer, and aligning with global best practices to accelerate industrialisation and diversification.
The three-day expo, which ends November 7th, will feature over 250 Chinese manufacturers and more than 5,000 business delegates trading in commodities such as automobiles, renewable energy, manufacturing, textiles, electronics, and agriculture.
