The Federal Government has urged Nigerian producers and exporters to focus on value-added products rather than raw commodities to maximise the benefits of China’s decision to grant zero-tariff access to goods from 53 African countries.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, made the call on Friday in Abuja at a seminar examining the implications of China’s zero-tariff policy for Africa’s economic transformation.
Abdullahi said the policy presented Nigeria with a major opportunity to diversify its exports beyond crude oil, strengthen agro-industrial development and expand its presence in the Chinese market.
“The question before us, therefore, is not, can Nigeria export more? The question should be, can Nigeria export better?” he said.
He identified processed cassava derivatives, premium rice, spices, hibiscus, cashew blends, soybean products, fruits and vegetables as some of the products Nigeria could export to China if they meet international quality standards.
“These are the questions that should define our national response,” the minister added.
Abdullahi, however, cautioned that tariff-free market access alone would not guarantee export growth, stressing the need for higher agricultural productivity, modern processing facilities, efficient logistics, quality assurance, traceability, competitive financing and adequate storage infrastructure.
“Zero tariffs alone do not guarantee success. Ladies and gentlemen, while the removal of tariffs creates opportunity, opportunities alone do not create prosperity,” he said.
He added that exporters would also need to comply with certification requirements as well as sanitary and phytosanitary standards to gain sustained access to the Chinese market.
The minister said the Federal Government was expanding agricultural processing through the Special Agro-Processing Zones Project to support the conversion of farm produce into quality products for local and international markets.
He said Nigeria’s natural resources could become a competitive advantage through technology transfer, skills development, investment partnerships, research, modern logistics, digital agribusiness and efficient value chains.
The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, said the zero-tariff policy had already produced significant trade gains since it took effect on May 1, 2026.
Yu said China-Africa trade reached $207 billion in the first half of 2026, while Chinese imports from Africa between May and June rose to $29 billion, representing a 24 per cent year-on-year increase.
He said African exports to China had increased by about six per cent, with Nigeria recording particularly strong growth.
“Total bilateral trade reached $18 billion in the first half of the year, up 35 per cent year-on-year, while Chinese imports from Nigeria surged 80 per cent to $2.3 billion, with monthly growth exceeding 40 per cent in both May and June,” he said.
According to the envoy, the policy had reduced trading costs while supporting higher export volumes and industrial transformation.
He said every 100 tonnes of sesame exported to China saved $11,000 in costs, while Nigeria’s annual export of 7,000 tonnes of cattle bone granules saved nearly $450,000.
Yu added that a 23,000-tonne shipment of Nigerian liquefied propane saved $300,000 in taxes on the first day of the policy.
He urged Nigeria to improve product quality, ensure stable supply chains, expand local processing and link trade opportunities with long-term investment.
“China is ready to provide technical support for standardised production to help Nigerian products earn recognition and market share,” he said.
The ambassador also advocated an Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Development with China, saying it would convert temporary tariff concessions into institutional guarantees.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dunoma Ahmed, said Nigeria must use the preferential access to move from exporting raw resources to exporting finished and semi-finished products.
He warned that the policy would have limited impact if African countries continued exporting raw materials while importing finished goods.
“Our natural resources must become the starting point, not the end point, of economic activity,” Ahmed said.
He said crude oil should support petrochemical and downstream industries, agricultural commodities should drive agro-processing and manufacturing, while solid minerals should feed mineral-processing industries.
“In other words, we must transition from exporting resources to exporting value,” he added.
Ahmed urged Chinese and other foreign investors to establish factories, processing plants, technology centres and logistics networks in Nigeria, saying the country could become a major manufacturing and investment hub for Africa.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Nigeria-China Relations, Ja’afaru Yakubu, said the zero-tariff policy could promote export diversification, value addition, manufacturing and Nigeria’s participation in global value chains.
He identified infrastructure, logistics, access to finance, skills, technology and regulatory standards as major challenges that must be addressed.
Yakubu also urged the Chinese Embassy to address visa bottlenecks affecting Nigerian traders, particularly those from Kano and other parts of northern Nigeria.
Representing the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, a ministry director, Samson Ebimaro, said Nigeria must strengthen domestic production and competitiveness to fully benefit from the policy.
He identified agriculture, agro-processing, solid minerals, manufacturing, leather and creative industries as sectors with significant export potential.
“However, the benefits of preferential market access will depend on our ability to strengthen domestic production capacity and competitiveness,” Ebimaro said.
He called for greater investment in infrastructure, logistics, finance and technology transfer, as well as stronger capacity among exporters to meet international standards.
The Director of the Centre for China Studies, Charles Onunaiju, described the zero-tariff arrangement as a starting point for Africa’s structural economic transformation.
He urged African countries to address domestic production constraints and leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area to develop regional value chains, harmonise standards and improve productive capacity.
The seminar was organised by the Centre for China Studies in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria to examine the opportunities and challenges presented by China’s zero-tariff policy and identify ways Nigeria and other African countries can maximise the arrangement.
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