Nigeria Reaffirms One-China Policy as China Economic Ties Expand

Nigeria has reaffirmed its adherence to the One-China principle as Abuja and Beijing continue efforts to expand economic and strategic cooperation.

The position was reiterated in Abuja as Nigerian officials and Chinese representatives highlighted opportunities in trade, investment, manufacturing, technology, infrastructure, energy and other sectors.

The latest discussions come as Nigeria seeks to increase the economic benefits of its comprehensive strategic partnership with China while encouraging greater investment in domestic production and value addition.

Nigeria restates its One-China position

Nigeria’s commitment to the One-China principle is not a new policy position.

The two countries formally stated in their 2025 joint statement on their comprehensive strategic partnership that Nigeria adheres to the One-China principle and recognises the government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government representing China. The statement also records Nigeria’s position that Taiwan is part of China’s territory.

Nigeria has repeated that position during several engagements with Chinese officials in 2026.

In August, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government had reaffirmed its adherence to the One-China Policy and stressed the importance of maintaining Nigeria’s established position on the Taiwan issue.

The latest reaffirmation therefore represents continuity in Nigeria’s diplomatic position rather than the announcement of a new policy.

Economic cooperation remains a central focus

At a meeting in Abuja on September 24, Nigerian and Chinese officials discussed expanding cooperation in trade, investment, technology, infrastructure and sustainable development.

The Permanent Secretary of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, said Nigeria wanted to attract more Chinese investment into manufacturing and industrial sectors.

He also called for a shift from exporting raw materials towards greater domestic value addition and production of finished goods.

According to the ministry, areas identified for expanded cooperation include artificial intelligence, green and renewable energy and digital technology.

The discussions reflect Nigeria’s broader effort to use international partnerships to increase productive capacity rather than relying primarily on the export of raw commodities.

China-Nigeria trade continues to grow

Economic ties between the two countries have expanded substantially over the years.

Recent Nigerian reporting citing bilateral trade data put China-Nigeria trade at about $18 billion during the first half of 2026.

Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria Yu Dunhai also said at a September 23 reception in Abuja that bilateral trade increased during the first half of the year.

The reported growth includes stronger Nigerian exports to China as well as continued Chinese exports into the Nigerian market.

The composition of that trade remains important for policymakers because Nigeria has repeatedly sought greater domestic production, technology transfer and value addition.

Manufacturing and investment remain priorities

Nigeria is encouraging Chinese companies to establish or expand production in the country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has specifically pointed to manufacturing and special economic zones as areas where Chinese investment could strengthen Nigeria’s productive capacity.

The government has also highlighted opportunities for Nigerian manufacturers and exporters to access the Chinese market.

In August, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said China had agreed to provide a RMB 200 million grant, approximately $3.3 million at the time cited by the ministry, for projects to be jointly identified and implemented by the two countries.

The ministry said cooperation would also cover agriculture, digital technology, mining and renewable energy.

Power and infrastructure feature prominently

Energy infrastructure is another area where Nigeria sees potential for deeper cooperation.

Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said during a reception marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China that future cooperation could support reliable electricity, renewable energy and the local manufacture of power equipment.

Tegbe also said Chinese investments had already contributed to major Nigerian infrastructure projects, including the Lekki Deep Seaport, railway modernisation and the Zungeru Hydropower Station.

He stressed that future investments should also help develop Nigerian technical capacity and strengthen local enterprises.

The emphasis on skills and domestic manufacturing reflects Nigeria’s stated objective of obtaining longer-term economic benefits from foreign investment.

Relationship upgraded to comprehensive strategic partnership

Nigeria and China upgraded their bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2024.

The partnership covers political, economic, infrastructure, security and people-to-people cooperation.

The two governments have continued to use institutional mechanisms for consultation, including discussions involving their foreign ministries and other government agencies.

Chinese officials have also indicated interest in implementing the understandings reached by the two countries’ leaders and strengthening cooperation across priority sectors.

The relationship therefore extends beyond individual infrastructure projects or trade transactions.

Nigeria seeks greater value from foreign partnerships

For Nigeria, one of the main issues in the expanding relationship is how foreign investment can contribute to domestic industrial development.

Officials have repeatedly called for greater technology transfer, manufacturing capacity, skills development and opportunities for Nigerian businesses.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry said the government wanted cooperation with China to translate into tangible economic benefits through increased trade and investment, technology transfer and development projects.

That approach places greater emphasis on what investment produces inside Nigeria, rather than simply measuring the relationship by the value of announced projects or bilateral trade.

Diplomatic position and economic engagement continue together

Nigeria’s reaffirmation of the One-China principle comes as China remains one of the country’s major economic partners.

Abuja has maintained its established diplomatic position on Taiwan while simultaneously seeking more Chinese investment and expanded access for Nigerian products in China.

The latest discussions also demonstrate that the relationship is broadening into newer areas, including artificial intelligence, digital technology, renewable energy and green development.

For Nigeria, the immediate policy challenge is translating these areas of cooperation into concrete projects, investment, manufacturing activity, skills development and export opportunities.

The two governments have expressed support for deeper cooperation, but individual projects and investment commitments will still depend on subsequent agreements, financing arrangements and implementation.

For now, Nigeria’s position on the One-China principle remains consistent, while economic engagement with Beijing continues to expand across multiple sectors.