Nigeria's China exports jump 80% to $2.3bn amid zero-tariff policy, but trade deficit widens

Nigeria's exports to China surged 80% to $2.3 billion in the first half of 2026, driven by China's zero-tariff policy for African countries that took effect May 1. Chinese Ambassador Yu Dunhai disclosed this at an Abuja seminar, noting monthly export growth exceeded 40% in May and June for products like sesame, cattle bone granules, and liquefied propane.

Despite this export boom, Nigeria recorded a growing trade deficit with China as bilateral trade reached $18 billion (up 35% year-on-year), with imports continuing to outweigh exports. China eliminated tariffs on 100% of product lines for all 53 African diplomatic partners in June 2025, contributing to a record $207 billion in China-Africa trade during the same period.

While the policy reduced export costs and made Nigerian goods more competitive, Nigeria's exports remain focused on mineral and energy products, whereas imports from China dominate in machinery, electronics, and manufactured goods. In Q1 2026 alone, total bilateral trade was valued at ₦5.68 trillion (imports ₦5.10 trillion, exports ₦582.20 billion), resulting in a ₦4.51 trillion deficit.

Nigerian businesses are encouraged to increase value addition and meet Chinese market standards to capture more benefits from the zero-tariff arrangement, though structural imbalances in trade persist.

SOURCE: https://nairametrics.com/2026/08/15/nigerias-exports-to-china-surge-80-to-2-3-billion-in-h1-2026/