China has announced plans to establish electric vehicle (EV) factories in Nigeria, in a move that signals a major step forward in the strategic partnership between the two nations and a boost for Nigeria’s ambition to harness its solid mineral wealth for industrial growth.
The announcement was made during a courtesy visit by the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Yu Dunhai, to the minister of solid minerals development, Dr Dele Alake, in Abuja at the weekend.
Ambassador Yu praised Nigeria as a nation richly endowed with natural resources and underscored China’s longstanding commitment to deepening bilateral relations. He noted that the decision to invest in local EV production followed the recent high-level discussions between President Bola Tinubu and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where both leaders agreed to elevate the Nigeria-China relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
“Chinese companies are already actively engaged across Nigeria’s mining sector, from exploration to processing. We’re now looking to strengthen this cooperation, especially in line with President Tinubu’s focus on economic diversification through solid minerals,” Yu stated.
He also reiterated China’s commitment to responsible business practices, saying the embassy regularly urges Chinese companies to comply with Nigerian laws, environmental standards, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) obligations. He affirmed that Chinese authorities take a firm stance against illegal mining and are ready to work closely with the Nigerian government to prosecute offenders.
According to a statement by the special assistant on media to the minister of Solid Minerals Development, Segun Tomori, Dr Alake welcomed the development, saying Nigeria values its enduring relationship with China but expressed concern over the conduct of a few rogue operators tarnishing the image of otherwise compliant Chinese firms. He referenced a recent viral video allegedly showing a Chinese national attempting to bribe local security officers.
“We’ve already taken action against illegal operators, including some Chinese nationals. While such cases are isolated, they damage the good work of many law-abiding firms. We count on your cooperation to hold offenders accountable,” the minister said.
Alake also highlighted the recent deployment of Mining Marshals tasked with cracking down on illegal mining, noting that the initiative has begun to yield results by raising compliance levels among local and foreign stakeholders.
He stressed that Nigeria is no longer content with merely exporting raw minerals and is shifting focus towards local value addition. “We have vast lithium deposits and other resources. It’s time we use them to power our own development, not just others’. That’s why we want to see electric vehicle and battery production right here in Nigeria,” he explained.
Alake called on the Chinese government to encourage full-cycle investments—from raw material extraction to final product manufacturing—pointed to Nigeria’s large domestic market and the growing need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
In response, Ambassador Yu endorsed Nigeria’s value-addition policy, confirming that China is aligning its efforts with Nigeria’s industrialisation goals. “President Xi Jinping is committed to promoting African industrial development, and plans are already underway to set up electric vehicle manufacturing plants in Nigeria,” he disclosed.
The move is expected to create jobs, transfer technology, and help position Nigeria as a hub for clean energy innovation in West Africa.
