China imported goods worth nearly $2.3 billion from Nigeria in the first six months of 2026, Chargé d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Zhou Hongyou, disclosed on Thursday.
This represents an 80 per cent increase over the corresponding period in 2025.
Zhou also said total bilateral trade between Nigeria and China had risen to $18 billion, a 75 per cent year-on-year increase.
Zhou made the disclosure on Thursday at the Nigeria-China Food Festival, held at the China Cultural Centre in Abuja.
The event featured cultural performances, music, arts and crafts, with participants highlighting the potential of culinary diplomacy to promote tourism, hospitality, cultural understanding and stronger economic ties between Nigeria and China.
According to him, the growth demonstrated the expanding economic relationship between the two countries, while China’s zero-tariff policy for African countries with diplomatic relations with Beijing offered Nigeria an opportunity to further increase its exports.
“This is a great chance for Nigeria to expand exports to China,” Zhou said.
Speaking on the food festival, the envoy said it provided more than an opportunity to taste different cuisines, describing it as a platform for Nigerians and Chinese to understand each other’s history, culture and way of life.
“Today we are bringing Chinese and Nigerian cuisines together. It is not just a feast for our taste buds, but it is also a conversation and a meeting of all cultures,” he said.
