Nigeria must export better, not more under China zero-tariff — FG

The Federal Government has urged Nigeria to export value-added products instead of merely increasing the volume of raw commodities following China's zero-tariff policy for 53 African countries. During a seminar in Abuja, Aliyu Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, emphasized that Nigeria should focus on exporting processed agricultural products like cassava derivatives, premium rice, spices, and fruits to capture China's market, rather than just increasing the volume of raw commodities.

Abdullahi stressed that zero tariffs alone were not enough; Nigeria needed to improve productivity, develop modern processing industries, enhance logistics, ensure quality assurance, and establish competitive financing and storage infrastructure. He also highlighted the need for export certification and compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary standards to succeed in the Chinese market.

Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, reported that China-Africa trade reached $207 billion in the first half of 2026, with Chinese imports from Nigeria surging by 80 per cent to $2.3 billion. He noted that every 100 tonnes of sesame exported to China saved $11,000 in costs, and Nigeria's export of 7,000 tonnes of cattle bone granules yielded nearly $450,000 in savings.

Yu urged Nigeria to enhance product quality, supply-chain stability, and industrial differentiation, and called for the establishment of an Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Development with China. The Permanent Secretary of Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dunoma Ahmed, emphasized that Nigeria should transition from exporting resources to exporting value by establishing manufacturing capacity, developing industrial value chains, and creating jobs.

He emphasized that Nigeria's natural resources should serve as the starting point for economic activity, not the end point. Ahmed also urged Chinese and international investors to establish factories, processing plants, and logistics networks in Nigeria, positioning the country as a major manufacturing and investment hub for Africa.