— Explainer by Lawal Sale
“There is no better mirror than a true friend,” says a popular African proverb
This maxim is quite apt while assessing the long-existing China-Africa cooperation. This is because the partnership, which began more than seven decades ago, has been based on mutual respect and understanding.
At the moment, China is having diplomatic relations with 53 out of the 54 African nations. In its continued efforts to strengthen the friendship with its African partners, China, led by President Xi Jinping, announced yet another step toward deepening economic cooperation with the African countries, while supporting the fulfilment of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
On February 14, 2026, during the 39th African Union Summit, President Xi, in a message to the African leaders, announced a major expansion of China’s zero-tariff policy for the 53 African nations which have bilateral ties with China. The aim was to grant 100% zero-tariff treatment on all products from the 53 African countries effective May 1, 2026.
The nascent policy, however, builds upon previous more limited tariff exemptions earlier granted for 33 Africa’s least-developed countries (LDCs), whose implementation started on December 1, 2024.
Basically, tariff is a tax imposed by a country on goods coming from another country.
OPPORUNITY FOR AFRICA’S GROWTH:
The main objective of this noble initiative was to support African industrialization and stimulate greater access to exports of African agricultural products, raw materials and manufactured items to the Chinese market of 1.4 billion people. The initiative also encourages diversification and competition for African countries to move up the value chain, from production of raw materials to finished products.
Experts are of the view that the zero-tariff treatment will significantly grow the industrial development and transformation of African countries, while creating incentives for domestic industries with the potential to complete in international markets. They also believe that by encouraging African exports to China, the new tariff policy is expected to reduce the widening trade deficit between China and Africa to the lowest minimum.
“It is also certain that African exporters will leverage on the zero-tariff treatment to have fewer trade barriers and more competitiveness in the market,” some of the experts said.
It is very pertinent to note that China has been Africa’s largest trading partner for 17 consecutive years, with trade volume reaching a record $348 billion in 2025, recording 17.7-percent year-on-year increase. From available statistics, figures showed that Chinese exports to Africa stood at $225 billion in 2025, while African exports to China grossed $123 billion, creating a wide deficit for Africa.
Empirically, top African importers of Chinese goods include Nigeria, Egypt and South Africa, while major exporters of African goods to China include Zambia, Guinea, South Africa, DR Congo and Angola.
African countries and products that would benefit most from the zero-tariff arrangement include Nigeria (cashew nuts, sesame, ginger, pepper and cocoa), Ethiopia (coffee, leather and tea), Kenya (tea, avocado, horticulture and leather), Uganda (coffee and other agricultural products) and Côte d’Ivoire (cocoa and other agricultural products).
Meanwhile, experts encourage African exporters to produce high-value products that will attract the large Chinese market, in order to maximise the long-term benefits of the policy, while reducing the long-standing trade imbalance between China and African nations.
Commendably, China is the only major global economy that has taken the bold step in granting complete tax-free access to goods from the African continent.
CATALYST FOR DEEPENING CHINA-AFRICA COOPERATION:
China’s zero-tariff policy on African goods to China is part of a broader strategy under the platforms like Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and Belt and Road Initiative, in which all the 53 African countries that have ties with China are participating members.
Furthermore, the tax-free arrangement is viewed by economic experts as a designed effort by Beijing to strengthen Global South cooperation, expand South-South trade integration and support shared development.
Relations between China and Africa date back centuries, but formal relations and diplomatic engagements began about 70 years ago. Since then, the fraternal relations between the two sides have continued to achieve unprecedented progress, with China wholeheartedly supporting Africa’s growth and prosperity. The remarkable relationship has been based on mutual respect and understanding, particularly in the current turbulent times. Notably, the two sides strongly adhere to China’s four people-centred development initiatives such as Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI), Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) and Global Governance Initiative (GGI).
Year 2025 marked the 25th anniversary of establishing the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). The forum was unveiled in 2000 by the Chinese and African leaders as a platform for collective dialogue and pragmatic cooperation, aimed at fostering stronger political, economic and social ties. It has since become a significant mechanism for boosting China-Africa relations, yielding greater results in areas of economic development, financing and infrastructure development. It is noteworthy to recognize the fact that China remains the largest Africa’s trading partner.
A GAME CHANGER FOR NIGERIA:
Nigeria, unarguably one of the largest economies in Africa, stands to benefit immensely from the China’s zero-tariff policy. Bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and China, which began with the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries 55 years ago, has burgeoned to unprecedented heights particularly in recent years.
Over the years, Nigeria has emerged as China’s largest engineering contracting partner in Africa, its second largest export destination and its third largest trading partner, as well as a major investment destination on the African continent.
As of 2025, bilateral trade between the two most populous countries in the world and in Africa surpassed $28 billion, recording a remarkable growth trajectory. Nigeria is one of the first African nations that accepted Chinese currency, Renminbi (RMB), for transactions in their foreign reserves.
In September 2024, during his state visit to Beijing, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and President Xi of China issued a joint statement, regarding the building of a high-level China-Nigeria community with a shared future. One of the additional agreements signed in Beijing was on the export of Nigerian cashew to the Chinese market.
Perceptive economic experts, therefore, believe that the zero-tariff policy of China will be a pragmatic game changer for the Nigerian export sector. They argue that the policy will significantly diversify Nigeria’s exports beyond crude oil, while boosting trades in agricultural and manufactured goods.
Nigerian commodities that are likely to attract Chinese market include cassava, cocoa, sesame seeds, cashew and ginger. Besides, the policy is expected to boost local manufacturing in Nigeria, while facilitating transition of the country’s exports to China from predominantly raw materials to manufactured and quality products.
Under the emerging scenario, Nigerian products will be able to build a stronger brand image, not only in Chinese markets but also globally.
Experts, however, insist that in order to fully maximise the benefits of the zero-tariff policy, Nigerian exporters must strive to strictly comply with the prescribed quality standards of the Chinese authorities and market.
— Sale is an Abuja-based Global South Affairs Analyst. (lawalmaida1@yahoo.com)
