- In a rare visit, three Chinese military ships are currently in Nigeria with the stated goal of enhancing maritime security. The fleet’s arrival, which is commanded by a destroyer, comes six months after Lagos’ new billion-dollar deep sea port opened.
- The Nigerian navy underlined its desire to cooperate with China to address maritime security concerns and maintain peace in the Gulf of Guinea, and the Chinese envoy to Nigeria praised the five-day visit as a turning point in relations.
- Nigeria and China’s bilateral ties were formally established on February 10th, 1971. Nigeria and China’s relations have improved due to rising bilateral commerce and strategic cooperation. Over the past few decades, China has established a strong political alliance with Nigeria, in contrast to the transactional natural resource-for-capital connections it has established with many other African nations. Through student exchange programs and the growth of media, China and Nigeria have also forged strong cultural ties.
- One of China’s most significant trading partners today is Nigeria. China has made significant political and economic investments in Nigeria. The governments of China and Nigeria frequently refer to their collaboration as a “win-win” arrangement, which China also frequently uses to refer to its relations with other African nations.
- China has been an important source of development financing for Nigeria, notably for the construction of railways and roads. However, issues with knowledge transfer, subpar Chinese goods, and limits on visas and employment have been brought up regarding the impact of Chinese investments on Nigeria’s economic security.