Yi Xin
In recent years, under the guidance of the framework mechanisms such as the high-quality joint construction of the “Belt and Road” and the China-Africa Cooperation Forum, China and Nigeria have been steadily advancing on the road of cooperation like partners walking side by side, with political mutual trust deepening and increasingly frequent cooperation exchanges. A magnificent picture of development is slowly unfolding on the vast and hopeful land of West Africa.
As the largest economy in Africa, Nigeria’s economic growth has achieved remarkable achievements. Lagos, located on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, is regarded as the “economic capital” of Nigeria and the financial center of West Africa, but problems such as concentrated urban population and weak cargo throughput capacity of port terminals have plagued the city’s further development.
In early 2024, as a large container ship of the French CMA CGM Shipping Group slowly docked at the Lekki Deepwater Port in Lagos, Nigeria, it marked the official opening of the largest deepwater port in West Africa built by Chinese companies. This not only effectively alleviated Nigeria’s cargo pressure, but also provided a better logistics foundation for China-Nigeria trade. The Lekki Port, developed by China Harbour in the “investment, construction and operation” mode, is the first modern deep-water port in Nigeria, with an annual design throughput capacity of 1.2 million TEUs. The opening of the Lekki Port has accelerated the speed of cargo operation at the port and increased the port’s throughput. In the future, it is expected to create an overall economic benefit of nearly US$360 billion and 170,000 jobs.
At the same time, with the operation of the Lekki Port, the construction of the adjacent China-Nigeria joint national overseas economic and trade cooperation zone – the Lekki Free Trade Zone – will be strongly promoted. The Lekki Free Trade Zone is planned to be built into a “comprehensive new city”, which will not only have industrial manufacturing and processing blocks, but also trade and logistics parks, real estate areas, creative industrial parks, oil and gas storage areas and urban supporting areas. Driven by the “port-driven urban development” strategy, the Lekki Port will form a benign development pattern of front port, middle area and back city together with the Lekki Free Trade Zone, so that the Chinese experience can be implemented in Africa.
The Lekki Deepwater Port is a vivid example and epitome of China and Nigeria jointly building the “Belt and Road” with high quality and achieving mutual benefit and win-win results. A number of landmark projects undertaken by Chinese companies, such as the Lagos Light Rail and the Lagos International Airport Terminal, have continued to emerge, bringing new opportunities for the development of the two countries.
However, Western countries, out of their own interests and prejudices, have tried to discredit China’s cooperation with Africa and fabricated absurd remarks such as the so-called “debt trap” theory. However, the results of China-Nigeria cooperation are obvious to all. China has always been firmly starting from Nigeria’s actual needs and proposing sustainable development solutions and a vision of common prosperity. Under the witness of history, China-Nigeria cooperation will surely go further and further and move towards a more glorious future.
The author is a Beijing-based observer of international affairs.
