China has announced plans to establish electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plants in Nigeria, marking a major boost for Nigeria’s industrial ambitions and a new phase in economic relations between the two nations.
According to Leadership News, this announcement was made during a courtesy visit by Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, in Abuja.
Ambassador Yu stated, “We’re now looking to strengthen this cooperation, especially in line with President Tinubu’s focus on economic diversification through solid minerals.” He emphasized that Chinese companies are already active across Nigeria’s mining sector and that the new investment will align with Nigeria’s goal of building a stronger value chain through local processing and manufacturing.
Dr. Alake expressed optimism about the move, noting that Nigeria is shifting away from the export of raw minerals toward local value addition. He stressed the need to use local lithium deposits to power domestic industries, especially in EV and battery production.
He also acknowledged that while the majority of Chinese firms operate within Nigerian laws, a few rogue operators have tarnished this image. Recent enforcement actions and the deployment of Mining Marshals have already started improving compliance levels in the sector.
Ambassador Yu confirmed that China supports Nigeria’s value-addition policy and is committed to setting up full-cycle EV manufacturing, from raw material extraction to final product assembly. This initiative is expected to create jobs, enable technology transfer, and position Nigeria as a major clean energy player in West Africa.
Article updated 3 days ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
