Zero Tariffs Are an Opening, Not a Strategy

Zero tariffs may open China’s market to Nigeria, but they do not by themselves create a durable trade strategy. Since May 1, Nigerian exporters have had duty-free access across Chinese tariff lines, alongside exporters from 52 other African countries, with a two-year window while longer-term partnership talks continue.

For the authors, the test is whether easier market entry can lead to stronger productive links. China can provide consumers, equipment, capital and technical experience. Nigeria, however, needs to turn access into stronger companies, more skilled jobs and a larger share of value retained at home.

The early numbers point to momentum, but they do not prove that the tariff policy caused the increase. At an Abuja seminar in August, China’s ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, said bilateral trade reached $18 billion in the first half of 2026, up 35 percent from a year earlier. Chinese imports from Nigeria rose 80 percent to $2.3 billion. Those figures include January through April, before the policy took effect.

Practical opportunities include a new inspection and quarantine protocol for Nigerian wild aquatic products, as well as reported tariff savings on sesame, cattle-bone granules and liquefied propane. Chinese buyers will still expect consistent quality, reliable volumes, traceability and regulatory compliance. Nigerian businesses will need to convert initial access into repeat orders and lasting relationships.

The authors see the greatest opportunity in value-added production, including aggregation, testing, storage, processing, packaging and branding for sesame, cocoa products, cashew, aquatic products, fertilizer and petrochemical derivatives. Clear rules on origin documents, inspections, Chinese labeling and logistics could help smaller exporters. They also argue that China can support partnerships through investment, equipment and training, while Nigeria must address port congestion, unreliable electricity, high transport costs and limited trade finance. Success, they say, should be judged by more than the headline trade total.