The President of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Emeka Obegolu, has described China’s zero-tariff policy for African countries as a major economic opportunity capable of strengthening Nigeria’s export sector, supporting industrialisation, and deepening trade relations between Africa and China.
Reacting to the policy announced by the Chinese government in a statement on Wednesday, Obegolu commended the initiative, describing it as a strategic step aimed at promoting balanced trade, economic cooperation, and inclusive growth between China and African nations.
He stated that the policy offers Nigeria an opportunity to reduce dependence on crude oil exports by developing a more diversified and export-driven economy anchored on agriculture, manufacturing, and value addition.
According to the ACCI president, Nigeria should move quickly to take advantage of the policy by expanding the production and export of agro-processed and manufactured goods with strong demand in the Chinese market.
He identified cocoa, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, ginger, leather products, textiles, and processed agricultural commodities as products with strong export potential.
Obegolu stated that, as head of the organised private sector in the Federal Capital Territory and surrounding areas, the ACCI would continue mobilising businesses, investors, small and medium-scale enterprises, and other stakeholders to build export value chains that meet international standards.
He noted that the policy comes at a period of changing global trade dynamics, making it important for Nigeria to diversify export destinations and strengthen domestic production capacity.
According to him, the removal of tariffs on African goods entering China would improve the competitiveness of Nigerian products and create opportunities for increased foreign exchange earnings, job creation, industrial growth, and SME development.
The ACCI president also stressed the need for investments in agro-processing, storage facilities, logistics, quality control, packaging, and infrastructure to enable Nigerian businesses to maximise opportunities created by the zero-tariff arrangement.
He urged governments at all levels to support policies that promote ease of doing business, export financing, and industrial development.
Obegolu also called for stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors to develop export-oriented industries and encourage youth- and women-led enterprises to participate actively in international trade.
While welcoming the policy, he cautioned that Nigeria should avoid remaining only an exporter of raw materials. He advocated increased value addition and local processing to improve the competitiveness and value of Nigerian products in international markets.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the ACCI to supporting initiatives that promote trade facilitation, enterprise development, industrial transformation, and sustainable economic growth, while encouraging Nigerian businesses to explore opportunities within the Chinese market of more than 1.4 billion consumers.
Xi Jinping officially announced China’s zero-tariff policy for 53 African countries on February 14, 2026, during the 39th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with implementation taking effect from May 1, 2026.
