Nigeria is actively courting Chinese investment with the establishment of a dedicated office to streamline partnerships just months after President Bola Tinubu’s return from Beijing.
In September, the Nigerian president attended the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing and carried out a state visit to China, and since then more than 200 Chinese companies have expressed interest in investing in Nigeria. It followed the signing of the Nigeria-China relationship agreement last year, with 74 of those companies specifically focused on the oil and gas industry.
According to a statement by Jaafaru Yakubu, chairman of Nigeria’s House of Representatives Committee on Nigeria-China Relationship, on March 5, the shift was “signalling a major boost for the sector”.