By Atoyebi Nike
Bilateral trade between Nigeria and China rose by 34.7% to $15.48 billion between January and July 2025, compared with the same period in 2024.
The Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, Ms. Yan Yuqing, disclosed this at a reception on Sunday, noting that Nigeria has become China’s second-largest trading partner in Africa. She attributed the surge partly to the upgrade of bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership at the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit.
“From January to July 2025, bilateral trade reached US$15.483 billion, marking a 34.7 per cent year-on-year increase,” Yuqing said, adding that collaboration in infrastructure, trade, energy, culture, and education continues to deliver benefits to both nations.
She also pointed out that China’s economy grew by 5.3% in the first half of 2025, underscoring resilience despite global headwinds, while commending the Chinese community in Nigeria for their contributions to local development and cultural exchange.
Latest trade data show that China remains Nigeria’s largest import partner, supplying goods worth N4.96 trillion in Q2 2025, more than double U.S. exports to Nigeria. Machinery, refined petroleum, and telecoms equipment dominated imports, while manufactured goods from China totaled N7.88 trillion, reflecting Nigeria’s reliance on foreign industrial inputs.
Yuqing described current relations as the “best in history,” stressing that future prospects for deeper economic cooperation remain strong.
