China to Eliminate Tariffs on All 53 African Diplomatic Partners, Including Nigeria

China has announced it will lift all import tariffs for exports from the 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations—including Nigeria—in a bold push to increase trade between the regions. Currently, only least-developed African countries benefit from duty- and quota-free access. The new plan extends this full tariff exemption to middle-income nations as well.

The announcement came after discussions in Changsha between Chinese officials and African foreign ministers, reviewing progress since the Beijing summit. China also pledged extra support—such as training and marketing promotion—for least-developed countries like Tanzania and Mali to ensure they aren’t overshadowed by stronger economies like South Africa and Nigeria.

Analysts believe this policy could significantly benefit Nigeria, along with other manufacturing-heavy African economies, by easing entry of goods into the Chinese market . Nigeria's exports of agricultural and industrial products stand to gain, helping correct the existing trade imbalance—China held a $62 billion surplus with Africa last year .

However, implementation challenges remain. Structural bottlenecks like quality standards, limited production capacity, and non-tariff barriers could hinder full advantage of the policy by African exporters. Still, Nigeria’s government has advocated strongly for inclusion in tariff waivers since February. As President Tinubu pursues industrial diversification and job creation, accessing the Chinese market duty-free may accelerate key initiatives in sectors like agriculture, digital technology, renewable energy, and electric vehicle assembly.

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