Why Nigeria Is Now China’s Second Largest Trading Partner in Africa

Nigeria has moved into a commanding position in China-Africa commerce, ranking behind only South Africa in overall trade with China.

Nigeria-China trade totalled $22.6 billion in 2023, and in just January to July 2025, it reached $15.48 billion, up 34.7% year on year. Independent trackers confirm Nigeria sits second in China’s Africa trade league by overall turnover.

Market size

Nigeria’s 200-plus million people and fast urbanising middle class make it China’s No. 2 destination for exports in Africa. Smartphones, electronics, autos and parts, machinery, power equipment, and building materials dominate imports. China was Nigeria’s No. 2 import source in late 2023 with about a 14.6 per cent share.

Beyond oil

China still buys Nigerian crude, but growth now comes from non-oil goods and equipment, including turbines, telecom gear, rolling stock, port equipment, and factory machinery. Nigeria leads on imports from China, which lifts the total two-way trade even when crude flows are volatile.

Infrastructure

Chinese partners are central to Lekki Deep Sea Port, standard gauge rail lines, Lagos to Ibadan, Abuja to Kaduna, and Kano to Kaduna, plus connector roads. A 2025 package for evacuation roads around Lekki will cut turnaround times and lower logistics costs, boosting volumes.

Digital demand

Huawei and others supply radio networks and backbone fibre. In 2025, MTN and Huawei rolled out tri-band Massive MIMO in Abuja and 400G to 800G optical backbones. Transition brands Tecno, Infinix, and itel keep device adoption high, sustaining steady import traffic.

Finance

Nigeria and China renewed a 15 billion yuan currency swap in December 2024. Beijing also signalled support for Panda bonds in 2025. These tools reduce dollar frictions and make trade settlement easier, especially for SMEs.

Policy

Ties have been elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership, with a focus on security, clean energy, and investment. Moves toward wider zero-tariff access for African goods could support Nigeria’s exports over time.

Industrial zones

Chinese linked free zones, including Lekki FTZ and Ogun Guangdong FTZ, host factories for plastics, ceramics, cables, household goods and packaging. The government’s push for local beneficiation, such as lithium processing in Nasarawa, is creating new two-way flows.