ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- China’s imports from Nigeria rose by 36.1 percent from January to September, driving bilateral trade between the two nations to $15.1 billion during that period, according to acting Consul-General of China, Mr. Jin Mingyu.
Mingyu shared this at a civic reception in Lagos celebrating the arrival of the first vessel on COSCO’s new route to dock at Lekki Port.
He noted that by September, Lekki Port’s 2024 cargo throughput had surpassed 160,000 twenty-foot equivalent units, and added that the Chinese Government anticipates more merchant ships carrying distinctive Nigerian products to China.
“In 2023, bilateral trade between China and Nigeria reached $22.56bn, with Nigeria ranking as China’s third-largest trading partner in Africa. From January to September 2024, China-Nigeria trade volume totaled $15.1bn, with China’s imports from Nigeria increasing by 36.1 per cent year-on-year,” Mingyu said.
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He emphasized that the growth of China-Nigeria trade hinges on strong collaboration.
The Chinese government, he said, hopes to see multinational enterprises working jointly to boost trade, establish a modern port and logistics network in Nigeria, open access to the vast Chinese market, and realize shared development benefits.
He noted that both countries are well-positioned to seize the historic opportunities globalization offers developing nations.
The arrival of EA CENTAURUS, he added, marks a breakthrough for Lekki Port in international shipping, bringing new momentum to Nigeria’s economic growth and broadening cooperation between China and Nigeria across multiple sectors.
“It is a landmark project for Chinese companies in investment, and construction, as well as a successful model of multinational cooperation for shared success in Nigeria.
COSCO, a global leader in the shipping and logistics industry, has launched a new route in partnership with Lekki Port, symbolising further breakthroughs in China-Nigeria collaboration in port construction and operation,” he said.
Lekki Port’s Managing Director, Du Ruagang, remarked that the arrival of EA Centaurus, marking the first in a series of bi-weekly calls to Lekki Deep Seaport by COSCO, ZIM, and ONE shipping lines, demonstrates the company’s strong commitment to establishing Lekki Port as a transformative leader in Nigeria’s maritime industry.