China has announced plans to establish electric vehicle (EV) factories and expand manufacturing ventures in Nigeria, as part of a broader effort to deepen bilateral cooperation and support Nigeria’s economic diversification drive.
Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, disclosed the plans during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, as confirmed by the minister’s media aide, Segun Tomori.
Dunhai said China sees Nigeria as a key strategic partner, noting that President Xi Jinping and President Bola Tinubu recently agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
“Chinese companies are already deeply involved in Nigeria’s mining sector, from exploration to processing,” the ambassador stated.
“We aim to deepen this collaboration, especially in line with President Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda through solid minerals.”
He added that the Chinese embassy is pushing Chinese firms operating in Nigeria to comply with local laws, environmental regulations, and corporate social responsibility standards, declaring China’s zero tolerance for illegal mining.
In response, Minister Alake welcomed the initiative but voiced concerns over isolated incidents of illegal activity involving Chinese nationals. He cited a recent viral video that allegedly showed a Chinese national bribing security agents.
“We’ve taken action against illegal operators, including some Chinese nationals. While isolated, such incidents undermine the good work of many compliant Chinese firms,” Alake said.
“We need your cooperation in ensuring such culprits are brought to justice.”
Alake also praised the mining marshals for improving compliance and raising awareness across the sector.
The minister emphasized that Nigeria is shifting focus to local value addition, especially for strategic minerals like lithium, and will no longer tolerate the export of raw minerals that fuel foreign industrialisation.
“That must change,” Alake said.
“With our abundant lithium resources, we want to see local manufacturing of electric vehicles and batteries in Nigeria.”
He urged China to encourage its companies to commit to full-cycle investments from extraction to processing and manufacturing within Nigeria.
In his closing remarks, Ambassador Dunhai reaffirmed China’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s local value-addition policy, describing African industrialisation as one of President Xi Jinping’s core priorities.
