Nigeria’s exports to China recorded a sharp increase in the first half of 2026, pushing bilateral trade between both countries to $17.4 billion, amid a new zero-tariff arrangement covering Nigerian products.

The Chinese Consul General in Lagos, Yan Yuqing, disclosed this at the 2026 Nigeria International New Energy and Power Industry Expo and Nigeria International Lighting Expo Lunch Conference, attributing the surge partly to China’s tariff concession for products from 53 African countries, including Nigeria.

She said Chinese imports from Nigeria rose by 81 per cent year-on-year to $2.25 billion between January and June 2026, with the value of exports recording monthly growth of more than 40 per cent in May and June.

The figures, according to Yan, point to growing opportunities for Nigerian businesses to gain access to the Chinese market under the new trade arrangement, which was implemented about three and a half months before the announcement.

“Chinese imports from Nigeria accounted for $2.25 billion of the trade, rising by 81 per cent year-on-year, with monthly growth exceeding 40 per cent in both May and June,” she said.

Yan said the development demonstrated the potential of the zero-tariff policy to widen market access for Nigerian goods, while deepening commercial relations between the two countries.

She added that overall trade between Nigeria and China increased by 35 per cent compared with the corresponding period of 2025, underscoring the growing scale of economic interaction between both countries.

The latest figures come against the backdrop of renewed efforts by Nigeria to expand its non-oil exports and secure larger international markets for locally produced goods.