CHINA-NIGERIA RELATIONS: THE BIGGEST BENEFACTOR

Nigeria and China have a bilateral relationship, which benefits both sides. Most of the products imported into the country are from China. Chinese companies have found a spot in Nigeria and are involved in various projects.

Chinese loans to Nigeria stood at $3.121 billion in March 2020, which is 11.28% of the country’s debt. The growing presence and relations between both countries are also changing narratives regarding migration.
Both countries often describe the relationship between Nigeria and China as a “win-win” partnership, a term China also uses to describe its relationships with other African countries.

Chinese firms and finance play a considerable part in Nigeria’s framework or infrastructure. This is evident in road constructions/reconstructions across the country. An example of this is the recent reconstructions in parts of Kaduna state and other parts of Nigeria.

Nigeria is also part of the top African Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) destinations. 5% of Chinese FDI stocks and 4.6% of FDI inflows in 2019 is estimated to have gone to Nigeria.

There is not a lot of data on trade between both countries before 2003, and since that time, trade between both countries has risen from $1.86billion to an estimated $20billion in 2019. The trade flow is more in China’s favour, with China having a trade surplus of $17.5billion for 2015 to 2018. China buys crude oil and sells manufactured goods to Nigeria.China also adds to the development of Nigeria’s human capital. More Nigerian students enrol in Chinese schools, some of them on scholarship. Education and training facilities are also being built by Chinese firms in Nigeria.
Everything seems rosy, but not until you pull back the layers. There is still racism against black people in China, and there is also the problem of the negative impact importation from China has on local industries. The shoe and textile industries are affected by this, putting people out of jobs due to increased importation.

There is another problem of the ill-treatment of Nigerian workers by their Chinese employers. There are no appropriate labour laws to deal with these problems, so these employers get with treating their employees poorly.A significant problem that Nigerians find concerning is China’s constant lending of loans to Nigeria. Many fear that since most of these negotiations are shrouded in secrecy, it may breed terrible outcomes for the country in future.

sWhile it is significant that the relationship between Nigeria and China has borne good fruits, It is essential not to ignore the negative sides. Regulatory institutions in Nigeria should ensure that labour laws are put in place and enforced so that the rights of Nigerian workers are protected, and the working conditions are fair. An even balance on importation and exportation would help more locals keep their jobs and not add to the employment rate in Nigeria. Both the Nigerian and Chinese should create programs that encourage cordial relationships between Nigerians and the Chinese to combat racism.