Nigeria: Nigeria-China Trade Hits $18bn in H1'26

What the report says

Nigeria and China have agreed to a new protocol giving eligible Nigerian aquatic products zero-tariff access to the Chinese market, which the article says reaches about 1.4 billion consumers. The development comes as bilateral trade between the two countries rose to $18 billion in the first half of 2026, according to Vanguard’s report distributed by AllAfrica.

The article says the protocol was concluded after nearly five years of negotiations and was discussed during a courtesy visit by Chinese Ambassador Yu Dunhai to Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, in Abuja. Tegbe urged Nigerian exporters and businesses to move quickly to make use of the new market-opening opportunity. The report also says the minister welcomed continued support for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership.

According to the article, Yu said Nigerian exports to China increased by 80% in the first half of 2026 and described the trade relationship as having strong room for further growth. He also reaffirmed China’s commitment to help implement the protocol and support qualified Nigerian products entering the Chinese market. The article frames the deal as potentially important for Nigeria’s export earnings and broader trade diversification.

More broadly, the report places the agreement within ongoing efforts to deepen Nigeria-China economic ties, including wider discussions around tariff access for African countries and cooperation in power-sector modernization. These points were presented as statements by the officials cited in the report.