China and Nigeria Deepen Cooperation Amid Generational Leadership Transitions
China and Nigeria are charting a new chapter of strategic partnership and development, underscored both by President Xi Jinping’s recent condolences over former Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari’s passing and a flurry of collaborative initiatives spanning trade, infrastructure, investment, and culture.
On July 16, 2025, President Xi personally conveyed his sympathies to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, mourning Buhari’s death and recognizing his role in nurturing Nigeria–China ties. He praised Buhari as “an important leader … who upheld friendship with China” and reaffirmed Beijing’s willingness to advance the “comprehensive strategic partnership” between the two nations.
Since then, momentum has only grown. In January, China’s Development Bank released a $255 million loan to complete the vital Kano–Kaduna railway, a 203 km line that promises enhanced regional connectivity and security through the Belt and Road Initiative.
By May, Nigeria approved a $652 million credit from China Exim Bank to build a major road corridor linking Lekki Deep Sea Port and Dangote Refinery, boosting exports and industrial operations.
Economic ties are clearly on an upswing. Beijing this June announced the elimination of tariffs on imports from all 53 African nations it recognizes, paving a path for Nigeria to become a net exporter to China within five years. Analysts note this move will help balance trade and energize Nigeria’s manufacturing, agriculture, and tech export sectors.
The Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) office, under Director‑General Joseph Tegbe, is spearheading a suite of flagship projects valued at over $20 billion. These span gas processing, industrial parks, railways, free trade zones, agricultural value chains, and EV manufacturing.
In June, a business summit in Lagos drew 216 Chinese investors and nearly 300 Nigerian CEOs to explore sustainable collaborations across 10 sectors including fintech, mining, ICT, and pharmaceuticals.
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Cultural diplomacy also thrives: Chinese film festivals in Lagos and Abuja highlight “people‑to‑people” engagement, supported by expanded Confucius Institutes and scholarship exchanges that send over 1,700 Nigerian students to China.
President Tinubu’s state visit to Beijing in September 2024 brought relations to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership level, with 13 cooperation agreements and 19 initial projects spanning infrastructure, mining, energy, and science.
Taken together, these initiatives signal a broad and evolving China–Nigeria alliance, rooted in mutual respect, economic pragmatism, and shared strategic interests. From condolence messages to transformative investments, the two countries are forging a forward‑looking bond designed to drive Nigeria’s industrial resurgence and deepen South–South cooperation well into the future.