Emmanuel OchayiYan Yuqing, the Consul General of China in Nigeria, announced that bilateral trade between the two nations reached $22.6 billion in 2023.
Speaking at the arrival ceremony of the CMA CGM Scandola, the largest container vessel to dock at a Nigerian port, Yuqing emphasized the pivotal role the $1.5 billion Lekki Port played in strengthening the trade ties between Nigeria and China.
“China remains Nigeria’s top global trading partner, with our bilateral trade reaching new heights in 2023. Nigeria now proudly stands as China’s third-largest trading partner in Africa,” stated Yuqing. She further highlighted the remarkable year-on-year growth of approximately 50% in Nigeria’s exports to China during the same period.
With the introduction of the CMA/CGM West Africa Express service directly connecting China to Lagos, the Lekki Port has become a strategic hub for fostering increased trade volume.
The arrival of CMA CGM Scandola, capable of transporting 15,000 twenty-foot containers directly from China, symbolizes the strengthening cooperation and economic ties between the two nations.
Yuqing underscored Nigeria’s role as a prominent pilot nation for the Belt and Road Initiative, promoting a shared future and stability in the China-Nigeria community. The Consul General praised the Lekki Deep Seaport as a significant milestone in the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, contributing positively to Nigeria’s national modernization development.
“In recent years, the collaborative efforts between China and Nigeria in infrastructure projects such as airports, seaports, railways, roads, and communication networks have achieved remarkable success,” added Yuqing.
She cited projects like the Blue and Red Line Light Rails, the Lagos-Ibadan Railway, and international airports as transformative initiatives propelling Lagos into a globally attractive super city. The unfolding narrative underscores the mutually beneficial growth in Sino-Nigerian relations, setting the stage for continued economic prosperity.
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