China has pledged to deepen its economic partnership with Nigeria, particularly in the solid minerals sector, by setting up electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plants and expanding industrial collaboration.
During a courtesy call on Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, over the weekend, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, reiterated his country’s commitment to fostering stronger ties, describing Nigeria as a key partner in China’s foreign relations.
“Nigeria is a great country blessed with tremendous natural resources. Chinese companies are already deeply involved in Nigeria’s mining sector, from exploration to processing.“We aim to deepen this collaboration, especially in line with President Tinubu’s eight priority areas, notably economic diversification through solid minerals,” he said.
Dunhai pointed to the recent meeting between Presidents Bola Tinubu and Xi Jinping as a turning point in relations, noting that both leaders had agreed to upgrade bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
He also stressed the importance of ethical practices by Chinese enterprises in Nigeria.“We have zero tolerance for illegal mining. The Chinese government is ready to cooperate with Nigerian authorities to bring any culprits to justice,” he stated, while highlighting efforts by the Chinese embassy to ensure its companies comply with local laws and uphold corporate social responsibility, as well as environmental and safety standards.
Responding to the ambassador’s remarks, Minister Alake acknowledged the role of Chinese investment in Nigeria’s development but also addressed concerns about unlawful practices by a minority of firms.
“We’ve taken action against illegal operators, including some Chinese nationals. While isolated, such incidents undermine the good work of many compliant Chinese firms. We need your cooperation in ensuring that such culprits are brought to justice,” he stated.
He referred to a recent viral video that allegedly showed a Chinese national attempting to bribe local security officials and emphasized that such behavior cannot be tolerated.
Alake highlighted new government initiatives aimed at addressing illegal mining, including the deployment of Mining Marshals, which he said has improved compliance among industry players.
He further stressed the government’s intention to shift from raw mineral exports to domestic processing, encouraging value addition within Nigeria.
“For years, our minerals have been exported raw to fuel foreign industrialisation. That must change. We now prioritise local processing to drive Nigeria’s development.“For instance, with the abundance of lithium, we want to see local manufacturing of electric vehicles and batteries,” he explained.
The minister urged Ambassador Dunhai to encourage Chinese companies to adopt end-to-end operations—from extraction to processing—within the country, noting that this would better harness Nigeria’s market potential and support clean energy goals.
In his closing remarks, Dunhai affirmed China’s support for this vision, revealing that preparations are already underway to launch EV production and related manufacturing projects in Nigeria.
He said the initiative aligns with President Xi Jinping’s broader strategy to support Africa’s industrial advancement
