China opened its vast market to African exporters this year with an expanded zero-tariff policy, but Nigeria missed the moment. The country was absent from the first batch of shipments that entered China under the scheme when it took effect on May 1, a slow start that has renewed concern about Nigeria's ability to seize a major export opportunity, according to BusinessDay.
A Lopsided Trade Relationship
The gap is stark in the numbers. Trade between Nigeria and China reached $7.7 billion in the first quarter of 2026, yet Nigerian exports accounted for just $929.3 million, or roughly 12 per cent of the total, BusinessDay reported, citing trade data. What Nigeria does sell to China remains dominated by mineral fuels, oil seeds and raw materials rather than the processed goods that earn higher margins and support more jobs at home.
The Opportunity on the Table
Industry voices argue the policy is precisely the opening Nigeria's farm and factory sectors need. The executive secretary of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria Export Promotion Group, Benedict Obhiosa, said the zero tariffs are meant to diversify African exports, add value, create jobs and support farmers and small businesses, and urged Nigerian firms to push processed and value-added products such as cocoa items, sesame, cashew nuts, textiles and leather goods, according to BusinessDay. The demand is already visible, with sesame seeds alone earning about ₦76.55 billion from the Chinese market in the first quarter of 2026, according to a survey of Nigeria's leading export products by Desuperm.
A Test of the Diversification Drive
The stakes matter because Nigeria has been trying to build an export economy beyond crude oil. Non-oil exports reached a record $6.1 billion in 2025, an 11.5 per cent rise driven partly by value addition in commodities such as cocoa, sesame and hibiscus, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council said, as reported by The Economic Times. Missing the early rush into a duty-free Chinese market suggests the pipeline from farm to export is still not moving fast enough to match the ambition.
Every export sale is income for a Nigerian farmer or processor and a support for the wider food economy. FoodPrices Nigeria tracks verified retail prices across Lagos markets and follows the trade shifts that shape rural incomes and the cost of local staples.