The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria says imports from Nigeria into the Chinese market increased by 81 per cent in the first half of 2026, reaching $2.25 billion, as expanding bilateral trade and China’s zero-tariff policy boosted demand for Nigerian products.
The embassy disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its spokesperson, Zhu Songbo.
According to the statement, Chinese statistics showed that imports from Nigeria totalled $2.25 billion between January and June 2026, representing an 81 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2025.
The embassy added that imports from Nigeria reached $360 million in May, a 44 per cent year-on-year increase, before rising further to $440 million in June, up 42 per cent from the corresponding period last year.
The embassy said its review of figures published by Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicated that differences between Nigerian and Chinese records were largely due to variations in statistical methodology.
It maintained that Chinese investment in Nigeria is mainly in the form of long-term direct investment focused on the real economy, particularly manufacturing and infrastructure.
The clarification followed reports that capital inflows from China into Nigeria declined by 40.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 despite the Federal Government’s announcement that it had secured over $20 billion in investment commitments from Chinese investors across manufacturing, energy, mining, agriculture and other sectors.
According to the NBS Capital Importation Report for the first quarter of 2026, capital importation from China dropped to $5.39 million, compared with $9.39 million in the corresponding period of 2025, representing a 40.89 per cent year-on-year decline.
The report also showed that the figure was 13.69 per cent lower than the $6.43 million recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025, suggesting that Chinese capital inflows weakened on both annual and quarterly bases.
Responding to the figures, the Chinese Embassy said its own records showed that China’s direct investment in Nigeria exceeded $50 million in the first quarter of 2026, broadly unchanged from the same period in 2025.
“The apparent difference between the two sets of figures is primarily attributable to differences in statistical methodology.
“China’s investment in Nigeria mainly takes the form of direct investment, with a strong focus on the real economy, including manufacturing and infrastructure. Such investment is characterised by its long-term orientation and commitment to mutually beneficial cooperation, aimed at supporting Nigeria’s sustainable economic development and industrialisation,” the embassy said.
It noted that similar discrepancies had occurred in previous years, explaining that while Nigerian data recorded Chinese capital importation at $38.66 million in 2025, Chinese statistics showed direct investment of about $390 million during the same period.
The embassy also highlighted the contributions of Chinese companies operating in Nigeria, particularly within the Lekki Free Trade Zone, where cumulative investment has exceeded $1.5 billion, creating more than 8,000 direct jobs. It added that seven new enterprises were established in the zone during the first half of 2026.
“An increasing number of Chinese enterprises remain confident in Nigeria’s long-term development prospects and are committed to engaging with the local market. Chinese businesses continue to support industrial growth, generate tax revenue, create jobs and improve livelihoods,” the statement added.
On bilateral trade, the embassy said Nigeria and China have highly complementary economies and expressed confidence that trade relations would continue to strengthen.
It also noted that since May 1, 2026, China has granted zero-tariff treatment on 100 per cent of tariff lines for products originating from Nigeria and 52 other African countries with diplomatic relations with China.
According to the embassy, the policy has already begun to deliver positive results by boosting Nigerian exports to the Chinese market.
