Bilateral trade between Nigeria and China surged to $15.48 billion between January and July 2025, marking a 34.7 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.
Gatekeepers News reports that China’s Consul-General in Lagos, Ms. Yan Yuqing, disclosed this on Sunday during a reception, noting that Nigeria has now become China’s second-largest trading partner in Africa.
“From January to July 2025, bilateral trade reached US$15.483 billion, marking a 34.7 percent year-on-year increase, with Nigeria becoming China’s second-largest trading partner in Africa,” Yuqing said.
“Guided by the principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit, all-round cooperation between China and Nigeria has yielded remarkable results.”
She attributed the sharp rise to the elevation of relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership at the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which has broadened opportunities in infrastructure, trade, energy, culture, and education.
The Consul-General described China–Nigeria relations as being at their “best in history,” stressing that the benefits of cooperation are increasingly visible to citizens of both nations.
China’s Economic Outlook & Role in Nigeria
Yuqing also highlighted China’s 5.3 percent economic growth in the first half of 2025, saying it reflects resilience amid global challenges.
She commended the Chinese community in Nigeria for contributing to local development, cultural exchange, and charity projects, urging them to act as bridge-builders in strengthening bilateral friendship. The Consulate, she assured, would continue to safeguard the welfare of Chinese nationals in Nigeria while deepening economic cooperation.
Nigeria’s Import Trends
China remains Nigeria’s largest import partner, supplying ₦4.96 trillion worth of goods in Q2 2025—more than double the value of imports from the United States, which followed with ₦2.16 trillion. Asia as a whole accounted for half of Nigeria’s imports, with China at the forefront, followed by India, the Netherlands, and the UAE.
The bulk of Nigeria’s imports from China include machinery, refined petroleum products, and telecommunications equipment, underscoring the country’s pivotal role in supplying both industrial and consumer goods. Manufactured imports alone totaled ₦7.88 trillion, while agricultural imports reached ₦1.18 trillion, largely driven by wheat purchases from Canada and Russia.
