In a groundbreaking development set to redefine global trade dynamics, China has announced it will grant Nigeria and 52 other African countries full duty-free access to its expansive consumer market. This move, unveiled by President Xi Jinping in a letter to African foreign ministers, signifies a major economic policy shift intended to deepen Beijing’s commercial ties with Africa.
Previously, China’s zero-tariff policy applied only to 33 least-developed African nations. The new initiative now covers 100% of tariff lines for all African countries maintaining diplomatic relations with China, including Africa’s largest economy Nigeria.
This latest initiative emerges as China intensifies efforts to counterbalance trade tensions with the United States, which have seen both powers locked in a prolonged tariff standoff. According to a report by Bloomberg, the deepening US-China trade war is pushing Beijing to pivot more decisively toward African markets.
At a recent diplomatic summit in London, US and Chinese officials reached a tentative framework to ease economic tensions. However, Washington’s increasing scrutiny of trade deals particularly the potential exclusion of over 30 African nations (including Nigeria) from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is opening the door wider for Beijing’s influence.
Nigeria, which imported goods worth ₦4.66 trillion from China in Q1 2025, already counts China as its largest trading partner on the import side. With this new duty-free window, the country now has a golden opportunity to strengthen its non-oil export capacity, especially in key sectors such as:
- Agriculture
- Textiles
- Solid minerals
- Manufactured goods
If implemented fully, the zero-tariff regime will allow Nigerian goods to compete more competitively in one of the world’s largest consumer markets without the barrier of import duties—something previously only enjoyed under limited agreements like AGOA with the United States.
China’s exports to Africa have already surged 12.4% in the first five months of the year, amounting to a record 963 billion yuan ($134 billion), according to China’s Foreign Ministry. This figure is expected to climb even further as the new trade policy takes effect.
As geopolitical rivalries reshape international commerce, Africa—and particularly Nigeria—may now find greater opportunity in China’s expanding embrace. The full implementation of this zero-tariff initiative could be a catalyst for export-led growth, job creation, and economic diversification, long touted but rarely achieved in Nigeria’s policy circles.
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