Nigeria targets manufacturing growth through Chinese investment and import reduction

A Nigerian investment mission to China has resulted in several memoranda of understanding, including a proposed US$100 million investment by the Chinese building-materials company 3TREES. The mission, led by the Foreign Investment Network (FIN), focused on manufacturing, renewable energy, and technology transfer across Beijing, Shanghai, and Suzhou.

In addition to the 3TREES proposal, the mission secured agreements regarding solar power, energy storage, and drone technology. Discussions also covered electric mobility, robotics, and medical technology. To promote Nigerian products, an agreement was reached for exhibition space within the Shanghai Free Trade Zone.

Separately, the Nigerian Manufacturing Opportunity Report 2026 indicates that imports supplied 64 per cent of local demand for manufactured goods in 2025, representing a $29.4 billion market gap. The report, launched by SEID at the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria's annual meeting, notes that manufacturing's share of GDP declined from 8.42 per cent in 2023 to 8.05 per cent in 2025.